Toni Pérez maintains that Benidorm's challenge is to remain a leading destination "that guarantees social cohesion, opportunities and quality of life"

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, stated today that one of the city's major challenges is "to remain a leading destination while guaranteeing opportunities, social cohesion, and quality of life for all." Pérez outlined this objective for the city during the closing ceremony of the 5th Business Forum organised by Veolia and Red Cross, held today at the Dinapsis facilities under the theme "The Success of New Local Alliances."

Participants at the forum included Ciriaco Clemente, Veolia's area manager, who spoke on "Veolia's Goals and Challenges," and Amelia Navarro, the company's Director of Sustainability, Equity, and Social Action, whose presentation focused on "Veolia's Commitment." Representing the Red Cross, María José Beltrán, provincial secretary, presented the organisation's "Reality, Challenges, and Alliances," while the local president, Mara Martínez, spoke about "Our Environment in Benidorm."

Businesses and business associations were also represented. Among those in attendance were Mayte García, general manager of Hosbec; Isabel González, director of the Meliá Villaitana hotel; Luis Perea, general manager of Terra Natura; and Irene Carreño, manager of Abreca. They all participated in a discussion about their future challenges in Benidorm and the surrounding region.

The closing remarks were delivered by the provincial president of the Red Cross, who cited Benidorm as an example of a “solidarity-based society” and stated that “every alliance is an opportunity to build a fairer and more sustainable future.” For his part, Toni Pérez highlighted the “fundamental role” of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially number 6, “which aims to ensure the availability, sustainable management, and sanitation of water for all and focuses on universal access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water and adequate hygiene facilities.”

The mayor, who emphasised that forums like this "help us take the pulse and listen to the heartbeat of Benidorm," highlighted the importance of the data "for measuring and improving through our decisions." In that regard, after noting that the city has reduced its water consumption despite having more registered residents and tourists, he praised Benidorm's unemployment rate, "below double digits and lower than the Spanish average." "There is no better social policy than employment, and that is why we must continue to set the standard in this shared effort we are making because people are the most important thing," the mayor affirmed. Before concluding, he reiterated that Benidorm "has always known how to reinvent itself, and its leadership is based on the fact that we are a great city to live in."