The mayor of Andorra la Vella, Andorra (Pyrenees), Jordi Ramon Minguillón Capdevila tells all-andorra.com about the development of the capital of Andorra in the next years, the main plans and tasks facing a city administration:
Interview: Steven Broyden
What are the investment plans for development of the capital of Andorra in 2015? Dynamics in relation to 2014?
– This year we already invested €4 700 000 that is for 2 million euros more, than for the corresponding period of last year. Among investment projects – parkings for cars, new tourist bureau, work on modernization of the sports center Centre Esportiu dels Serradells. Initially this center was constructed in 1991 for competitions between the European countries. Now there are two pools – Olympic closed (50х21 m) and opened, the closed and opened tennis courts, bowling, a pool, gymnastic and fitness studios.
The priority direction for investments also is redesigning of the main shopping streets of the capital of Andorra.
How you plan to develop business tourism? Whether any business conferences are planned this year? Are there a lot of demands for the organization of business seminars and other business actions?
In the capital of Andorra there is completely equipped congress center – the biggest in the principality. It has 1000 seats, the total area of 4200 sq.m, the area of the assembly hall of 900 sq.m. The congress center is the member of Andorra Convention Bureau – the structure created under the auspices of the government organization “Andorra Tourism”. Its task – promotion of the principality for carrying out business events and actions. Among other members of bureau – five – and four-stars hotels of Andorra (Park hotel, Holiday Inn, Hermitage SPA hotel, etc.), the SPA center of Caldea, park of recreation Naturlandia, ski resorts (Grandvalira and Vallnord), Ice Palace in Canillo, the Museum of electricity, transport companies and restaurants of Andorra. The conventional bureau of Andorra was created in 2010.
Large conferences are held every year along with seminars and business meetings. Average fillability – about 200 days in a year. Our forecast for next years – stable growth.
How many tourists visited the capital of Andorra this year?
The number of tourists who spent at least one night in Andorra la Vella in recent years considerably grew up. And this tendency, I think, will keep its place in the future. This year about 2,5 million tourists visited Andorra la Vella (from 8 mln people visiting in general Andorra per year).
What cultural events were already held and what are planned for 2015?
The capital of Andorra has a full range of the cultural events held depending on seasons: season of music and dances, and also theatrical season. The administration of Andorra la Vella (Comú d’Andorra la Vella) also supports the initiative of private associations of the organization and carrying out cultural actions. This year we intend to hold some sporting events that everyone, including guests of the principality, could take part in them. As for plans for the next year, we plan carrying out days of Ibero-American culture with a certain program of actions.
If to speak about architecture in general and architectural monuments in particular, to what tendency the capital of Andorra adheres? Whether creation of the special organization for protection of monuments of architecture by analogy with other European states is planned?
Andorra actively protects the cultural heritage which is one of the main cultural sights of the country. In Andorra there is a special organization – Public service on protection of cultural heritage of the country. The catalog of this organization includes all monuments of architecture which are under protection of the state. The last reforms in the legislation of Andorra allowed administrations of districts to have more power concerning protection of these objects. The administration of Andorra la Vella has its own list of the objects which are cultural heritage. There is a so-called cultural route which covers all most important monuments of architecture in the central valley of Andorra. Among them: the Sant Vicenç church, church in Santa Coloma (església de Santa Coloma), the Russian tower (torre dels Russos), and also the ancient stone bridge of la Margineda.
What new objects is it planned to construct in the capital of Andorra in the near future? Whether you will promote development of hotel business, in particular, construction of new five-stars hotels? What are the plans for construction of office buildings and luxury chalets areas?
We plan building at once of several large objects. For development of transport infrastructure the new bus station will be constructed, the question of construction of a heliport around la Comella is discussed – its construction is so important for development of economy of the principality – so we plan to begin construction next year. Soon it is planned to build the Palace of justice, and also new office building of Núvol.
We welcome attraction of private investments into construction of residential and commercial buildings which will promote development of the capital of Andorra in general. Among private projects which can be realized in the near future, I can call the Aquapark and the aero tube “Sky Dream” tunnel.
Construction of private clinics and schools is also widely welcomed and we have already negotiations about it now.
There are a few modern office areas now in Andorra la Vella. The administration of Andorra la Vella always follows tendencies in the market. We are ready to invest money to transform existing offices into luxury 5-stars offices.
Unfortunately there are no big land plots for development in Andorra la Vella now, but we have much to offer to the investors planning construction of facilities of any kind in the capital of the principality. These areas are ideally located. We are ready to discuss the price in each case.
The business connected with real estate development is under serious legal protection in Andorra. The prices for rent are attractive and, as a rule, have good economic indicators, especially in Andorra la Vella – the capital of the principality.
See also Andorra travel guide
See also Pyrenees travel guide
