The Mayor of Calvia, Alfonso Rodriguez, yesterday signed an agreement with representatives from various hotel associations in the municipality to launch the Calvia, a European Winter programme for the 26th consecutive year.
The programme has grown considerably since it was first launched in 1992 and it’s quite simply aimed at attracting and catering for tourists during the winter low season.
This year, the programme will involve more events and activities than previously with the opening of the headline events being the international government personnel football tournament which will be held in Santa Ponsa in January, with the annual events to follow in May.
All of the participating hotels will be offering free excursions and activities to guests until April.
The mayor explained yesterday that the aims of the programme are to decentralise the tourist industry - take some of the emphasis off the summer months - while prolonging the season which will create greater economic benefits for the resorts and also offer greater and longer employment prospects.
Included in the winter tourism programme are guided walks and hikes in the hills and mountains, a number of special events, workshops and guided tours of the municipality’s various historic monuments and heritage sites.
The main hub of the activities will be the Galatzo estate but there will be also a wide range of guided coach tours to Calvia’s “little known and undiscovered corners” so visitors can experience and learn about Calvia’s culture, history and heritage.
The council backed initiative will be matched by the private sector’s sporting programme with a number of tournaments being held in Calvia over the coming months and the sporting facilities being used by international teams and clubs as winter training bases.
And, it will not be long before professional and amateur cycling teams descend on the municipality.