Laurence Dollimore
A TOWN hall has been blasted for spending €90,000 on a campaign to attract more British tourists – to just four hotels!
Calpe’s PP mayor has been criticized for handing the cash to UK firm Jet2Holidays, which specialises in all-inclusive and half-board packages.
The company is set to spend it on marketing efforts geared around the village of Penyal.
The travel firm works directly with four hotels in Calpe, two from the Esmerelda Group and the Bay and Ifach hotels.
Locals fear the all-inclusive packages, which are around €600 per week for half-board, mean not much money is poured back into the local economy.
PSOE opponents of the council insist the money would be better spent on infrastructure projects to improve the town.
“It would be much better than giving investments to millionaire friends,” said spokesman Santos Pastor.
“Calpe needs to be spending its money on its aging and unattractive infrastructure.”
A video protest shows a series of pavements in need of repair and insists ‘another tourism model is possible’.
Jet2Holidays has been contracted to promote Penyal until 2021.
British tourists??
No. Thanks