Where I see overdevelopment, the Junta sees opportunity!

The Junta has discovered that the golf capacity of Andalucía is for 1,14 million tourists a year, although the annual average of visitors is just 425.000. So, instead of saying that we’ve got three times as much golf courses as we need, the Junta has bravely stepped up and said “here’s an opportunity to cram another 700.000 tourists a year into Andalucía”. The report says it should be possible to play 5,24 million rounds of Continue reading Where I see overdevelopment, the Junta sees opportunity!

Junta to spend 5million building a new golf school in Almeria – 200m down the road from the other one!

The Junta has stunned people by announcing a 5 million euro investment into a public golf school at El Toyo II complex, just outside Almería city. The amazement doesn’t stem from the fact that they are finally investing something into the “failed” urbanisation -it’s been vitually abandoned since the crisis and the few residents there keep saying the place is a ghost town with no public infrastructure – but rather that there is already a Continue reading Junta to spend 5million building a new golf school in Almeria – 200m down the road from the other one!

Take part in the Junta de Andalucia tourism debate (or abuse the politicians!)

Or, as their slogan says: Participa, comparte tus nuevas ideas porque Tú eres TUrismo. Irritating, isn’t it? Anyway, the idea is to get anyone who works in Tourism in Andalusia to get onto their forums and give the politicos some helpful ideas which they can steal. Although I expect they will shortly be full of complaints against the politicians. Or something. As of this morning, all the forums seemed to be empty. Click the “innovative Continue reading Take part in the Junta de Andalucia tourism debate (or abuse the politicians!)

A great example of government cost cutting in action!

Here’s one for all you scoffers out there who doubt that the central government is serious about cost cutting: a photo of a letter I received today. As you can see, it’s an envelope printed with the old name of the Ministerio de Industría, Turismo y Comercio. Instead of throwing away God only knows how many old printed envelopes when they changed the name of the Ministry earlier this year : someone has printed off Continue reading A great example of government cost cutting in action!

Hey, we’ve got new government delegates!

Finally, 50 days after firing the provincial delegates for Tourism and Culture, President Griñán has gotten around to naming two new delegates for these jobs. Did the tourists stop coming? Did the local artists all suffer writers block and flee to pastures new? No? Guess we could have gone a bit longer saving these salaries, then. You will remember that Griñán had a fit of pique with the previous holders of these jobs (Yolanda Callejón Continue reading Hey, we’ve got new government delegates!

Turismo promises to protect the Chiringuito (before admitting he can’t)

The Minister for Tourism, Industry & Commerce of the Junta de Andalucia, Mr Luciano Alonso, stood up in the Regional Parliment yesterday to reply to concerns that the Junta is “anti” chiringuito (beach bars). He admitted that while many of them were disappearing from our coasts, they “were an integral part of singular form of tourism practised in Andalucia” and that Tuismo was determined to preserve them “within confines of the law, respect of the Continue reading Turismo promises to protect the Chiringuito (before admitting he can’t)