The Formentera Council reports that from May 19 to September 30, in terms of non-resident island visitors, the ses Salines nature preserve recorded an average of 541 cars and 922 scooters entering the park every day. This summer, the nature reserve's total tally of cars driven by out-of-towners was 72,514 (3,901 less than in 2016). Headcount of tourists visiting by scooter? 123,585, or 21,523 less than last year. Meanwhile, looking at 2015 figures, this year non-resident drivers made up for 3,015 more of ses Salines's car visits, and 1,463 less of its scooter visits. Councillor Rafael González divulged the information today at the Council.
Ses Salines's Formentera site has parking for 384 cars and 1,132 moterscooters, though, due to rotation, the total number of vehicles in lots at times exceed this capacity. Bus access to the nature preserve has been regulated since 2016. Regular bus service has remained in 2017, with buses allowed a maximum of 13 trips in and out per day. Discretional service into the park has dropped, to 42 buses entering the park compared to last year's high of 72.
Collection
Ibifor, which holds the contract to superintend the preserve's car parks, took in €775,895, €102,213 less than in 2016. The Formentera Council will keep €140,000, plus an additional variable sum (€26,650) based on total revenues. The money is funneled into park maintenance, like beachside safety upgrades and road repairs. Inside the park there are services for road cleaning and rubbish collection, both part of a broader effort to better the park's image.
For two years running, quads have been prohibited entry into the park in an effort to minimise degradation and promote conservation.
Shade spots
As was already the case last year, the Balearic coastal authority applied a discount on the Council's lease of car park areas, in exchange for which the administration continues its gradual rebuilding of shade structures over parking lots. Last year crews rebuilt the arbour at the lot adjacent to ses Xalanes beach (point of access to Pirata beach bar) and efforts continue afoot this year.
Individuals who enter the park on foot, bicycle or by electric vehicles are not charged admission, park of the Formentera Council's ongoing commitment to sustainable mobility.
Yesterday evening Formentera's coalition of island organisations met to discuss results of the vote on participatory budgeting in 2017. Online ballots were cast by representatives of 31 local associations, and yesterday assembled coalition members gave the go-ahead to allocate this year's €325,000 budget to the three most popular projects.
The Formentera Council Office of Culture and Festivities presents Hilos, a stage production for audiences seven and up. The show, which hits Formentera's cinema, la Sala de Cultura, this Saturday, November 11, at 9.00pm, runs sixty minutes. Admission is five euros for adults and three euros for youth under 25. Tickets will be available at the cinema box office the day of the event.
This Thursday, November 9 at 8.00pm, historian Santi Colomar will be at Marià Villangómez library to offer a talk titled “Arms, struggle and resistence on Formentera (16th to 20th century)”. The evening will include meditations on the island's function as an observation point and battleground between Ibizans and North African corsairs when stripped of regular inhabitants. On the growth of a local population from the 18th century, and the subsequent formation of militias to confront external dangers. On the 19th century, when disappearing outside perils left the commonplace presence of arms intact. On one exceedingly rare case of bloodshed, a duel at can Damià des Trull in 1919. On the Spanish Civil War and episodes of struggle and resistence on Formentera, namely the strike, organised by the CNT, of workers of the island's salterns during the Second Republic (1936-1939) and popular protests to defend natural spaces like sa Pedrera, or stop outsize projects like es Ca Marí campsite.
The World Travel Market, England's largest travel trade show, began its three-day run today. As the expo cranks into gear, tourism secretary Alejandra Ferrer and the chief of the island's board of tourism, Carlos Bernús, will be on hand to represent and promote the island to London travellers.