The project presented to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism aims at transforming and reviving the tourism sector by adopting a more sustainable and responsible model.

The ecological transition will help to regenerate the tourism sector, the main driving force of the Spanish economy. This is one of the transformation axes established by the Spanish government for the distribution of funds. This initiative would contribute to improving the competitiveness and sustainability of Spanish industry, territorial and social cohesion and digital transformation, three fundamental factors essential for economic and social reconstruction after the Covid crisis-19.

The proposed investment is €129 million and the company hopes to give a definitive boost to its decarbonisation strategy. The objective is to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 environmental footprint to zero and to reduce Scope 3 emissions.

Among these initiatives, Meliá wants to create the prototype carbon neutral hotel that will define the hotel industry of the future by transforming one of its establishments into a sustainable tourist destination,  Menorca, which has been declared a Biosphere Reserve. Currently, almost 60% of the electricity consumed by the hotel worldwide is of renewable origin and in Spain, 100%. In addition, it has already reduced its CO2 emissions by more than 15%.

We do not aspire to be one of the world's biggest companies, but to be a good company for the world, which means that we must manage the resources we have in a sustainable way, ensuring a balance between our growth, environmental protection and social well-being.

Gabriel Escarrer, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Meliá.

The Spanish government will define the areas of interest for future calls for proposals for strategic project grants, which will be presented in March.