Up to 5.4 million euros to be spent on Bay of Palma

THE budget for the Excellence Plan for the Bay of Palma, that is being developed this year through to 2005, will go as high as 5.4 million euros. The news was released yesterday, following a meeting presided over by the head of the programme's committee, Catalina Terrassa. The project involves central government, the Balearic government, and Palma City Council in collaboration with hoteliers from the Bay of Palma.
According to Terrassa, the enterprise will consist of three stages and has, as its main aim, the objective of “improving the quality of the facilities available to tourists who visit the area”. Top of the agenda at yesterday's meeting was the need to address the delays that have been occurring during the first phase of the project's development and to establish a schedule of works for the second phase, the budget of which will be 1'634'000 euros. With regard to the improvement of hotel services, it has been agreed to put in place a management system to handle “critical points” in this tourist area, as well as a more general quality improvement plan. So far as the improvement in the infrastructure of the Bay of Palma is concerned, proposals include the creation of a green belt area close to the Hotel Don Felipe, new spaces containing games for the young, and the very young on the seafront, pavement upgrade and renewal of signposting. It was additionally agreed at the meeting to create a logotype for the Excellence Plan. The setting up of a study on the link-up project between the Bay of Palma and Llucmajor needs to be put in motion, by means of an avenue set back from the seafront, between the Bay of Palma and Llucmajor, across the old Pont des Trenc. Analysing the objectives set out for the second phase of the Excellence Plan, Terrassa confirmed that they will focus first and foremost on second level beach activities, and in furthering sporting activities. Research will be undertaken on the viability of sporting tourism in the Bay of Palma.