Jordi Hereu, Minister of Tourism: "We must take the mobilizations very seriously"

The Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, has pointed out that citizen mobilizations against the excesses of tourism must be taken "very seriously" in order to maintain Spain's tourism leadership, which "will only be through the social, environmental and product quality that we generate in the world."

The minister added in his speech in the Senate Plenary that, with the current Government, tourism "is breaking records month after month, year after year" and "now we are committed to the great objective of being leaders of quality in the tourism model."

The Executive is working with the tourism business sector and also with the representatives of the workers to improve the working conditions of the sector, precisely to reinforce one of the great pillars that is the social sustainability of tourism.

"We do it out of conviction and also the business sector does it out of conviction and necessity, because retaining, creating, training talent and human capital is one of the great priorities and one of the great challenges we have as a sector," he stressed.

The minister recalled that the Government has invested 3.4 billion euros of European funds in the transformation of the tourism model in the triple line of sustainability: environmental, social and economic, of which 2.6 billion have been transferred to the autonomous communities.

He stressed that never before has so much been invested in improving tourism as now and Hereu hopes that the communities will also apply the funds received to the transformation of this triple sustainability.

Regarding the controversy over the opening hours of bars and restaurants, which have been questioned by the Second Vice President of the Government and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, he explained that the regulations are set by the autonomous communities, local authorities and city councils.

"Obviously we support respect for the law and the regulations of the schedules, as well as something very important that is the remuneration established by the agreements."

Therefore, the minister has affirmed that he supports the schedules that are freely established by the autonomous communities and city councils and what he demands as Government is compliance with the law always.