The Santa Eulària Town Council has taken a key step towards the consolidation of the island as a destination for congress tourism by approving the awarding of the Second Phase of the Ibiza Congress Palace. In an extraordinary session held this Thursday, November 14, it was decided to assign the project to the Temporary Joint Venture (UTE) between Tecopsa and Hermanos Parrot, with a budget of 33.78 million euros. This investment is backed by the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan of the Ministry of Industry, in addition to funding from the European Union NextGenerationEU and the Balearic Government through the Sustainable Tourism Tax. The project will have an execution period of 27 months.
An adaptable space for large events and congresses
The design of Phase II includes an open-plan space of 2,500 m², adaptable for large-scale events, with modular configuration options that allow the area to be divided into rooms of different sizes by means of movable panels. In addition, there are plans to build an assembly hall with a seating capacity for 1,000 people and a room with independent access, ideal for autonomous operation of the building at specific times. The facilities will also include restaurant areas for banquets, kitchen and catering areas, offices, dressing rooms, dressing rooms, and loading and unloading areas for trailers and vans. The subway parking lot will have two floors, with a total of 278 spaces for cars and 31 for motorcycles, of which 14 will be adapted for people with reduced mobility. The entire complex will occupy a built-up area of 21,654.57 m² on a plot of 13,736.70 m².
Economic impact and need for expansion
The mayoress, Carmen Ferrer, has underlined the importance of this expansion, pointing out that it will adapt to the needs of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector to meet the growing demand for events on the island. The lack of space in the current phase has meant the loss of up to 12 million euros in revenue in the last two years, as several events that would have attracted 16,000 visitors with an average daily expenditure of between 350 and 800 euros have been turned down, according to data from the Spain Convention Bureau. Ferrer pointed out that last year six events that would have generated an economic impact of 5 million euros were not held in Ibiza, while so far this year another 7 million euros have been lost by rejecting nine additional events, with an estimated attendance of 9,970 people. The new phase will make it possible to attract these events, benefiting hotels, businesses and the transport sector throughout the island.
Divided opinions in the plenary
The plenary vote reflected different positions regarding the project. The Popular Municipal Group supported the initiative, while the PSOE abstained, arguing that they support the project, although they would have raised alternatives for its implementation. Unides Podem and Vox, on the other hand, voted against, considering that there are other priorities for the municipality.
