“Tourism is a blessing” says Najera

PALMA
MARGARITA Najera will this coming week take up her new job as head of the special commission recently created to oversee the ambitious reformation of the Playa de Palma.

Yesterday, the Balearic government spokesperson and Minister for Employment, called on the region's tourist industry to join together and throw its whole support behind the project.

She admitted that, over the years, some mistakes have been made, but she stressed that tourism “is a blessing” to the Balearics and it therefore needs to be carefully looked after.

Najera also underlined the fact that the Balearics were the pioneers of family tourism and can lead the way again with the reformation of the Playa de Palma.

She explained that Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero considers the Playa de Palma project the way forward to the Spanish tourism industry and hopes that it sets an example which other resorts will follow across the country as part of a concerted and unified effort by tourism to modernise and build for the future.

That future, she said, should not be based on residential tourism.
Najera said that residential tourism does not create employment and she stressed that the Balearics needs to be looking at ways of seriously creating an all-year industry which will not only provide more stable employment but also generate a steady income throughout the year.

With regards to the Playa de Palma project, Najera said it is a complicated one and, until she has met with the Balearic Minister for Tourism Francesc Buils tomorrow (Monday) in her new role as head of the commission, a start date can not be confirmed.

She did, however, attract some criticism from opponents yesterday. The right wing Partido Popular accused her of leaving her successor with a “hot potato” as unemployment increases week-on-week with over 60, 000 people expected to be out of work come the Autumn and even more by Christmas.

But, Najera hit back claiming that she will be leaving her department in good condition with everything in order.
Her replacement as Balearic Minister for Employment is expected to be named by President Francesc Antich during the coming week.