El Javea Town Hall A session of the Council for Economic Development and Tourism was held yesterday where various issues were discussed. This body has the objective of channeling the participation of the different sectors involved in the local economy, especially that related to tourism.
Economic and fiscal measures
The session began with a report from the Councilor for Economic Development, Ximo Segarra, who detailed the economic and fiscal measures approved for this year, such as the general suspension of the garbage tax or the opening license; in addition to the reduction of 17% in the IBI.
He also spoke about the two subsidized consumption voucher campaigns, with which purchases in small local businesses have been encouraged as opposed to online commerce or large stores. Between the two experiences, businesses have received income of more than 270.000 euros. Some results that encourage the department to work on a third campaign for this spring, advanced the mayor.
Likewise, the person in charge of Economic Development recalled that, since the beginning of the pandemic, the City Council has prioritized its social action, but also support for the business fabric and self-employed workers, with up to 6 lines of aid, which were launched with other administrations as well as other own, for a total of 4 million euros and other aid measures such as the suspension of the occupancy rate for the hotel industry or the opening of new businesses.
In this sense, Segarra highlighted that Xàbia is one of the towns in which the most companies have been created in recent years: 100 in 2022 and a total of 375 since 2018.
Overall, the economic measures, together with those of social support, employment plans, tax reductions and suspension of rates that are included in the Recuperem Xàbia plans have led to a mobilization of municipal resources that exceeds 20 million euros, specified the councilor .
tourist policies
The other block of the council was dedicated to tourism policies. Your manager, Tony Miragall, began by reporting the new criteria established to obtain blue flags, which place special emphasis on and follow-up on environmental management activities.
In line, Miragall stressed the important work carried out by Xàbia in this matter, from the installation of buoys to mark out bathing areas or protect sea caves and points of special environmental richness, to which they facilitate the practice of diving or anchoring without damage the posidonia.
The mayor also explained the system of maritime surveillance and awareness about anchoring that is carried out from a boat and the improvements in the vehicle access control systems to the coves of Portitxol and granadella, which this year have covered from June to October, with the improvement of asphalt, signaling and road painting or the pedestrianization of Tio Catalá street. Or the implementation of schedules agreed with the 18 water sports companies (snorkel, diving and kayaking) to avoid collapsing the dry docks and the approval of self-protection plans for the coves to improve their protocols against emergencies or fires.
Other actions of the coastal management plan that Miragall has recalled have been the improvement of parking for Cala Blanca, the extension of access control hours to the Cova Tallada or the forecast for this summer of the regulation of parking and public transport network to the coves.
Xàbia in Fitur 2023
For its part, the mayor, José Chulvi, took advantage of the meeting to explain the promotion that the municipality will make in the Tourism Fair from Madrid, Fitur, next week and to which Xàbia will attend under the umbrella of the Costa Blanca.
Chulvi expressed that, in line with the tourism policies of recent years, the population will focus its message on the idea that Xàbia is much more than its beaches and attractive 365 days a year. That is why it will take the brand "Xàbia en Viu" that brings together all the musical festivals of the year and the different cultural cycles with which, in addition to a first-rate natural destination, Xàbia reaffirms itself as a place where all weekends of the year there is something interesting to do.
To close the Consell, the technician from the department explained the strategic plan for tourism and marketing operations that is currently being worked on.
On the one hand they announce "consumption vouchers" aimed at an impoverished population and on the other they announce the tourist cultural proposal, for those who can afford it of course. But that we did not live on tourism? Tourism brings wealth they said…..So how is it possible that the population needs bonds to buy? More and more tourists come and every time the population is poorer. Why is it? It reminds me of Cuba.
Let's see if this time we have more than one day to spend it….
FOR THAT YES, TO DO ELECTORAL campaign NOW.