The mayor called for a city that is "more open to tourism and aimed at promoting the quality of life of its residents". Advocating a sustainable city - socially, economically and culturally - he said that Palma has to recover its status as a municipality designed for people. "We want Palma to be the best city in the world to live in. And if we achieve this, it will also be the best city in the world to visit."
"A welcoming, friendly and sustainable city", Palma has to recover its reputation as a reference tourist destination in the Mediterranean and in Europe as a whole. Tourism, Martínez stressed, is the economic activity that contributes to the greatest extent in creating job and business opportunities.
"But the success of this formula depends, fundamentally, on Palma's ability to improve security and cleanliness as well as its provision of services, among which culture and sports occupy a prominent place.
"Palma has to be a clean and well-kept city 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, in the same way that it has to be a safe city, where residents and visitors can walk without being afraid of crime and anti-social behaviour." The mayor highlighted "the achievement" of a new local police model, one that is closer to the residents and is in the neighbourhoods.
He referred to the first actions taken after he became mayor in the spring - essential aspects of the city's day-to-day life, such as the cleaning and maintenance of streets and squares. "Areas of intervention in which outstanding improvements have already been achieved."
Martínez pointed out that there has been huge population growth over the past twenty years. This has created "emergencies" in terms of housing, coexistence, mobility and economic diversification, but the town hall must work for equality and to take into account all the people who, from different parts of the world, have chosen to live in Palma.
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Zero progress in 7 months since elections on the cleanliness. Does he even have a clear plan on how and when this key elections promise will be delivered. Seems to be this populist government is full of popular promises and catchy slogans but little real action and few if any plans.
Palma is at a crossroads. The direction it takes will define its character for the next decade. Clean streets is a laudable aim but that's just one spoke in the big wheel that is understanding how a small city manages the influx of tourists to its fiscal benefit and not to the detriment of residents. Good and bad examples are aplenty for study. Barcelona has lost control while Lisbon has its act together. Rome is drowning with visitors and its infrastructure at breaking point while Amsterdam is well ordered and secure. A knee-jerk reaction is not what's needed here. The Mayor and the Council have to study, learn, think, work and produce a long term plan for Palma to manage tourism successfully. Sticking plaster fixes won't do.
"the cleaning and maintenance of streets and squares. " Where is this? Palma is dirtier than ever. I don't know how this person could write this rubbish with a straight face. He's copying Trump and Johnson, just think of a few slogans and keep repeating them and people will start believing, it even when the reality is the opposite.
More open to tourism? And better quality of life for residents?? Incompatible surely? Perhaps control tourism, so that both tourists and residents can enjoy the city without being swamped by waves of humans … now that’s a plan!