Carlos Mazón demands from the Central Government a second runway for Alicante airport after the "record" of 10 million foreign tourists in the Valencian Community

The President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, has demanded this Tuesday from the Central Government a second runway for the Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport which will allow it to cope with the increase in foreign tourists visiting the Valencian Community and which are expected to exceed the "record" figure of 10 million at the end of the year. 

The president has taken advantage of the presentation of the Valencian Strategy for tourism sustainability of the Generalitat Valenciana to request all the support for the tourism sector of the Valencian Community and has rejected putting "sticks in the wheel".

In this sense, Carlos Mazón has urged the central government to launch the Alicante-Elche airport master plan and to enable a second runway "that boosts the Costa Blanca as a tourist destination" and allows absorbing the increase in passengers and flights 

On this subject, the president was "happy and hopeful" that by the end of the year more than 10 million foreign tourists will be expected to have visited the Valencian Community, a figure higher than that recorded before the pandemic , specifically in 2019, and which until now was the best record.

Carlos Mazón has given as an example of the tourism projection of the Valencian Community that the British company EasyJet will soon establish a base at Alicante-Elche airport from where it will launch a total of 9 new air connections with the Kingdom United, France, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. 

Likewise, the president emphasized that the Council is taking the necessary measures to encourage the arrival of tourists in the Valencian Community, such as the abolition of the tourist tax "which should never have been approved and which we have succeeded in not entering into force". 

First sustainable tourism autonomy

The Valencian Strategy for tourism sustainability of the Generalitat Valenciana has an endowment of 170 million distributed in 61 tourism sustainability plans in the destination. During the presentation of this initiative, Carlos Mazón explained that tourism sustainability constitutes a "destination strategy" that involves the entire Valencian Community and that is essential both to attract tourists and to keep them in the future. 

On this subject, he has advanced that the Valencian Community has already started the procedures to obtain the AENOR certificate as a "sustainable tourist destination", which will make it "the first autonomous community in Spain" to obtain this qualification .

"We will conspire to once again be the most advanced, the first", said the president of the Generalitat, who has expressed his desire that the Valencian Community continues to "be a benchmark" with everyone's efforts.

Pioneer sector

During his speech, Carlos Mazón also referred to the tourism sector of the Valencian Community as "mature, extraordinarily professional, advanced and pioneering". Starting from this base, he pointed out that this sector has the obligation to go further, "to optimize, improve, innovate and offer the best" and that to do so they will have the Generalitat on their side.

The head of the Council stressed that it is essential to make a commitment to "sustainability", since not only the tourist operators or agencies demand this value, but also the tourists themselves. 

 Thus, Carlos Mazón has pointed out that "hospitality, competitiveness and sustainability" must always be the reference indicators for the tourism sector of the Valencian Community. 

During his speech, the president also warned of the dangers posed by "tourismophobia" and pointed out that disqualifying mass tourism is "demagoguery" and that tourism must receive support in all its aspects: rural, beach , gastronomic, sports, events, etc.

During the course of the event, Carlos Mazón and the president of the Provincial Council of Alicante, Antonio Pérez, signed the document that includes the Valencian Strategy for tourism sustainability of the Generalitat Valenciana. The event was also attended by the first vice-president and Minister of Culture and Sport, Vicente Barrera; the Minister of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism, Nuria Montes; and the delegate of the Council in Alicante, Agustina Esteve; among others.

Decalogue of sustainable tourism

The Valencian Strategy for tourism sustainability of the Generalitat Valenciana signed this Tuesday includes ten commitments focused on promoting a tourism model based on environmental, socio-economic and territorial sustainability, promoting a green and sustainable transition, mitigating climate change and promoting the digital transition .

It also includes promoting tourism competitiveness, facilitating the development of the tourism product, improving energy efficiency, encouraging investment in the maintenance and rehabilitation of historical heritage for tourist use, defending hospitality and advocating for training and knowledge.