Benidorm to Honour Local Hospitality Industry as Key Driver of Development

Benidorm City Council will pay tribute to the city's hospitality sector in recognition of its decisive role in the growth and consolidation of the municipality as a tourist reference. This was unanimously agreed upon by the municipal plenary session in June, which approved a motion presented by the Councillor for Historical and Cultural Heritage, Ana Pellicer.

The initiative includes the acceptance of the donation of the emblematic Aitona restaurant sign, offered by its owner, Jaime Pérez Sales. This is a huge paella dish measuring 2.60 metres in diameter, created by artist Alberto Medán, which was installed in the 1970s as an advertising attraction and has since acquired significant symbolic value for the city.

"The sign not only identified the establishment but also became part of the urban landscape and a symbol of the rise of dining in Benidorm," Pellicer noted. With the recent closure of the restaurant, its owner expressed the desire for the sign to become part of the municipal heritage, as a testament to a period of great economic and tourist expansion in the town.

The motion also includes the restoration of the sign and its incorporation into the Municipal Assets Catalogue, currently under development. The City Council intends for this sign to be displayed again in public spaces as part of the tribute to the hospitality sector. According to the councillor, "through these graphic elements, it is possible to construct a visual narrative of the city's evolution."

With the support of the PP and PSOE and the rejection of Vox, an institutional declaration has been passed on the occasion of the International LGTBI Pride Day. The proposal, defended by the Councillor for Equality, Ángela Zaragozí, reiterates the City Council's commitment to the democratic values of equality, freedom, and respect, and calls on the central government for resources to continue developing local policies of inclusion, discrimination prevention, and support for victims of hate crimes.

Additionally, a motion from the Vox group, although amended by PP and PSOE, has been approved on the occasion of World Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Day. The resulting text calls on administrations for more funds to effectively implement the ALS Law and recognises the work of entities, professionals, families, and affected individuals. The City Council commits to continuing to collaborate to ensure comprehensive assistance, technical support, and adequate resources.

During the session, the approval was also given, by majority, for the payment of a series of municipal invoices amounting to 1,452,937.95 euros. The Councillor for Finance, Aida García, emphasised that these are payments for services already rendered and, as usual, are in accordance with the relevant technical reports.

Finally, the management delegation agreement between the City Council and the Waste Consortium of the Zonal Plan 6 A1 has been unanimously approved, which includes municipal collaboration through the assignment of technical and administrative personnel to ensure its operational functioning.