Benidorm is awarded with 2018 City of Science and Innovation Distinction

In the Congress Palace of Castellón, this morning, Mayor Toni Pérez has received from the acting minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Pedro Duque, in the presence of the president of the Generalitat Ximo Puig, the Distinction as a City of Science and Innovation 2018

Benidorm deserves this distinction, says the official communication “in recognition of the approach as a tourist city that seeks accessibility solutions and cohesion of spaces and tries to open up to the natural environment. As well as for the ambitious project under way of the Integral Water Cycle ”.

This distinction, which was granted by Resolution of the Secretary of State for Universities, Research, Development and Innovation on April 12 implies joining the Spanish Network of Cities of Science and Innovation as well as Innpulso Network.

In the act of Castellón they have received the Distinction, in the category of more than one hundred thousand inhabitants, the cities of Barcelona, ​​Vigo and Castellón; and in the category of less than one hundred thousand inhabitants, the town of Ames and the cities of Eibar, Onda, Paterna and Benidorm.

The mayor, Toni Pérez, stressed that the distinction "comes to talk a little about us, what we have always been: innovation." In this sense, the mayor said that the word 'innovation' is now accompanied by the qualification 'technological', but "innovation was also that in the 50s of the last century a people had the first General Plan of Management of Spain, when there was no not even a land law. ”

And in the concept of innovation he added the success of “preserving 50% of its territory, dedicating itself to generating a compact city in height that today is the most sustainable and efficient city model and that is better able to manage resources”.

Toni Pérez picked up the prize in the category of children under one hundred thousand inhabitants, taking advantage to highlight that “we are a city of sixty-seven thousand inhabitants where more than one hundred and fifty thousand people sleep every day, to which we provide services and at certain times of the year we multiply our population by six ”.

In this regard, the mayor said that “The Local Administration is capable of doing important things when it serves the Academic world; when you know that the future and progress depends on what you do in your day to day. ”

He recalled that the distinction fits perfectly in the spirit that led Benidorm to be the world's first certified Smart Tourist Destination where following the objectives of Sustainable Development and the World Tourism Organization "technology, sustainability, accessibility, innovation and Governance and, as a transversal axis, research, allow us to add a new recognition that forces us to be better every day to continue being the city and the destiny that lives to offer happiness to the world ”.

The distinction, awarded after the qualification of a technical jury, recognizes the leading cities that have supported investments in infrastructure that have favored economic sustainability and, consequently, have improved the growth pattern based on knowledge and innovation

As reported in its day, the Secretary of State valued the projects carried out or promoted by the City Council since 2015 focused on the promotion of economic activity, entrepreneurship and innovation; to improve access to networks and infrastructures of information and fixed and mobile telecommunications technologies, and their use; to improve the green economy, energy efficiency and renewable energy; promote healthcare innovation or modernize the Administration and its services, such as the Integral Water Cycle.