Going, Going, Gone: Tourism promotion budget

Is there such a thing as an auction in reverse? Because if not, then the Balearics tourism ministry appears to have invented it. Do I hear nine million for tourism promotion? Any reduction on nine million? Mr. Delgado, 3.6 million. Any reduction on 3.6? Going, going … . At this rate and by this time next week, the tourism promotion budget will have gone; not because it has been spent but because there won't be one. There they were saying that there were a mere nine million, and the next day Delgado goes and trims the budget by almost another two-thirds.

The ministry does, after all, only have a total of 63 million for next year. It is the lowest budget of any ministry, and tourism is only the most important industry, but needs clearly must in these austere times. Even so, 3.6 million? And the question is, what will the ministry find to spend the other 59.4 million on, as everything is being cut.

To this end, we will be sad to see one body fall to the ministry’s axe, as it has kept us so royally amused for a few years. The Foundation for Sustainable Development; they’re getting rid of it, along with its stupid “tarjeta verde”. I may need to remind you that the foundation and the card were what replaced the eco-tax. All these tourists were going to be buying one of these discount cards, all the money raised was going to save Mallorca’s environment; that sort of thing. The only problem was that no one bought one, or if they did, the money wasn’t handed over.

They had to find something else to justify the existence of this pointless foundation (and one, it should be noted, into which various banks pumped not insignificant amounts of money as well as the government), so they let it run certain sites of environmental interest, such as Son Real near Can Picafort. Then they had to find someone to be in charge and recently the PP government gave the job to Jorge Campos, the founder and president of the fiercely anti-Catalan Círculo Balear.

Poor old Jorge. Gives up his presidency and then finds he's out of a job. He should have known better, as it's a surprise that the foundation had been allowed to stagger on as long as it had, especially as it was due for the scrap-heap under the Antich restructuring of the tourism ministry. So much for him having mates, like Bauzá, in high places. They'll probably find him something else.

And so they should, as Campos’ brief time in charge of Son Real has had high amusement value in itself. For example, he insisted on putting up a Spanish flag at the entrance, thus provoking all manner of Catalanist indignation and Maulets radicals, who of course can’t stand him, into promptly going along and taking it down.

Meantime, Santa Margalida town hall was sent an invoice for a visit with people from the Alicante town of Vall d'Ebó, with which Santa Margalida has a sort of twinning arrangement. We've never had to pay such invoices before, said the mayor, who has threatened that if the demand (for 159 euros) isn't withdrawn, the town hall will claim 12,000 euros from the foundation relating to a licence for works at Son Real that wasn't pursued. Yep, things certainly have been fun, and petty, since Campos took over.

But the town hall probably won't now be able to claim its 12,000, as it's farewell to the Foundation for Sustainable Development. Sadly, it couldn’t sustain itself, but we greatly appreciate the entertainment. Of its responsibilities, Son Real will end up with something called the Espais de Natura Balear, while Costa Nord, its biggest responsibility, will go to the tourism agency, which is where (and the agency's previous incarnation as well) it should have been all along. The foundation, though, and let us not forget, was a creation of former PP president Matas. And we know all about the various bodies Matas set up, though not quite as much as the anti-corruption prosecutors do.

The tourism promotion budget, or lack of it, is, though, the headliner. 3.6 million. It really is a pittance. But there's more. What about those arts festivals the ministry is meant to support financially? Like the Pollensa Music Festival. The ministry's not saying, other than to imply that unless an orchestra-pit load of private sponsorship can be found, it probably won't happen. And if it and others don't take place, the ministry will have to fork out for changing all the publicity material. I wonder if they've accounted for this in the budget?


Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.