The observatory in Costitx has been partially closed since 2015. The observatory itself is still functioning, but the planetarium has been closed for eight years; the association that ran it went bankrupt.
On Thursday, Pere Soler presented a motion to the Council of Mallorca. Given unanimous approval, Soler proposed that the Council studies a formula whereby all the facilities can be recovered and that new activities are developed, one of which would be astrotourism. The councillor, himself an astronomy enthusiast, envisages transparent bubble-shaped rooms in which guests can sleep and also observe the stars in a part of Mallorca where there is the least light pollution.
Soler said that astrotourism is starting to boom in Spain. In areas of the country's interior, there is this kind of hotel. Mallorca, "as a tourism power", could also benefit from it.
His proposal would involve the Council or the Balearic government acquiring some assets. In order to do this, an analysis would have to be made of whether the purchase would be possible; European recovery funds could be used for financing.
The tourism councillor, Andreu Serra, explained that the government has some rights over the facilities, as it has been paying for them annually. The proposal would need to be studied closely, but he welcomed the initiative to try to revive the site and to make it a centre for a new type of tourism.
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