06/04/2013 00:00
TW
0
By Humphrey Carter PALMA'S new 32 million euro aquarium is to open in Ses Fontanelles along the Playa de Palma before Christmas. The first phase of the 20.000 square metre complex, the gardens and main buildings will be ready by August and “Palma Aquarium” expect to open the Balearics' latest tourist attraction in November. Xavier Muntaner, the director of international public relations for Palma Aquarium said yesterday that the nature complex will be one of the best marine parks in Europe and open all year round. Playa de Palma hoteliers see the aquarium as the dawn of a whole new era for the local tourist industry and, to a lesser extent, a life saver after years of steady winter tourism decline. President of the Playa de Palma Hotel federation, members of which were given a tour of the complex yesterday, said yesterday that the aquarium is going to give tourism a whole new impulse “it's going to attract quality tourists throughout the winter,” said Francisco Marín. David Oliver of the company Coral World which is building the Palma Aquarium and has built six others across the globe, said yesterday that hoteliers in Barcelona and Valencia have experienced the benefits of having an aquarium “what is more, Majorca will witness an increase in people specifically coming to the island to visit the aquarium,” he said yesterday. The design of Palma's aquarium is based on the Australian concept which provides visitors with the ultimate experience because they will travel through a network of transparent tunnels running through the huge fish tanks. The general philosophy of the aquarium is to provide a new ecological, cultural and social centre with the carefully planned 7'000 square metre gardens featuring special walks and also acting as a new home for Majorcan species such as the turtle. The aquarium will also create 200 new jobs, while guaranteeing more permanent work for hotel and service sector workers in the area, and is expected to become the focal point of Palma tourist industry attracting tourists 365 days of the year and providing the local economy with a welcome injection of cash and employment.