Benidorm recognizes with the "Distinción Europa" the work of the director of Alicante-Elche airport

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the terminal, with 12.3 million passengers in 2016

The mayor defends in the Day of Europe the values ​​and solidarity against populisms and separatist delusions that threaten the Union

Benidorm City Hall has recognized the director of Alicante-Elche airport, Santiago Martínez-Cava Arenas, with the 'Distinción Europa'. The award of this distinction to Martínez-Cava coincides with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the airport, "an anniversary that once again highlights the enormous significance and importance that Benidorm had for the start-up of these facilities", and which in addition to "a major shock to the tourism sector" was also key in "the economic and social development of the province."

Santiago Martínez-Cava Arenas has received the 'Distinción Europa' from the hands of the mayor, Toni Pérez, in an institutional event held in the Plenary Hall of Benidorm City Council in which the European Union is commemorated each year. An act attended by the members of the corporation; the Norwegian Consul, Jan Arlid Nilsen; members of the Security Corps and Forces; representatives of the Commission of Festes Majors Patronals, the Association of Penyes and Carta de Poblament Group; and members of social, neighborhood and cultural groups.

In his institutional speech, the mayor highlighted "the exemplary trajectory of Martínez-Cava Arenas during the decade that leads the airport of Alicante-Elche; a period in which he has always been "sensitive to the needs of aerial connectivity posed by the tourism sector in general, and our city in particular." Pérez has stressed that Alicante-Elche airport is located between "the best in Spain and Europe", with a growth that has led him to close 2016 with 12,344,495 passengers.

Martínez-Cava said that the growth of the airport will continue this year, and that by the end of 2017 "will exceed 13 million passengers." A milestone that will be possible "thanks to Benidorm" which is "the tourist motor of the province". "You cannot conceive the growth of the airport without Benidorm", said the director of the terminal.

The mayor also said that "Benidorm could not have become the first tourist municipality in the peninsula if it had not had an airport nearby", it "would not have beaten new records every year historical in number of flights and passengers, if it were not to less than 60 kilometers from Benidorm ".

The mayor has remarked that the distinction to Martínez-Cava is "a recognition to those" who like him "contribute to building bridges to Europe, unite all the shores of a continent that we want to make stronger, more united and more prosperous every day ".

Pérez has defended "the values ​​of solidarity, dignity and freedom on which the European Union was built" facing the "new populism and separatist deliriums" which want to "undo the idea of ​​Europe from inside" and which presuppose " a threat "to the European project. The mayor has said that "Brexit was not good news for Europe and we must bet that this evil example is not extended."

The mayor has stressed that "we must permanently renew the validity" of these ethical values ​​that prevail in Benidorm, as well as "involve the new generations in European social and political life." A message that has especially launched to the students of 5º of Primary who have attended the institutional plenary, hours after having examined about the European Union within the subject of Social Sciences.