Wednesday 16^th November 2016

CALVIÀ WILL BE THE PERMANENT HEADQUARTERS OF THE SMART ISLAND WORLD CONGRESS AND EXHIBITION TO BE HELD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN APRIL 2017

The announcement has been made within the framework of the Smart City Expo World Congress that the Fira de Barcelona celebrates these days in the City of Barcelona.

The Mayor of Calvià has taken part in the event that took place in the auditorium of the Convention Centre of Gran Vía.

The Smart City Expo World Congress that is celebrated these days in Barcelona has been the scenario in which it has been announced the celebration of the Smart Island World Congress and Exhibition in the municipality of Calvià in April 2017.

The Mayor of Calvià, Alfonso Rodríguez Badal, presented the initiative in the auditorium of the Gran Vía Convention Centre invited by the Fira de Barcelona, where he attended accompanied by the Deputy Mayor for Economy, Employment and Innovation, Mari Carmen Iglesias, and the Deputy Mayor for Tourism, Antonio García Moles, as well as the Director General of Tourism, Joan Mesquida. The Mayor explained that Calvià as a pioneer island territory and tourist reference is, without a doubt, the best place to permanently promote in Mallorca the Intelligent Island World Congress, which will take place every year. Rodríguez Badal highlighted the importance of the image of Calvià as a tourist destination of innovation, not only technological, but also applied to the environment fields, the energy efficiency or the territorial sustainability, amongst others.

Smart Island World Congress and Exhibition will be held on 20th and 21st April 2017 in Calvià, under the umbrella of Fira de Barcelona, which will be in charge of its organisation. The Calvià Town Hall will be the main sponsor of the event which will also count on the sponsorhip of the Consell de Mallorca.

More than 70 cities from around the world will be invited to the Smart Island Congress of Calvià to which it is expected the attendance of about 1.500 people. The Town Hall, in this first year, will make an initial investment of 110.000 euros and, for its part, the Consell de Mallorca commits to contribute an amount that can range between 200.000 and 300.000 euros, depending on the private sponsors, but guaranteeing in any case the financing of this first edition. The rest will correspond to private sponsorship, which is the form of financing of these type of congresses.

Calvià Town Hall is committed to the fact that Information and Communication Technologies contribute to a more efficient management of the provision of public and private services. To do this, it has started the path of transforming Calvià into an intelligent municipality and destination with the dual objective of improving the quality of life of its inhabitants and providing an innovative experience to visitors.

We are already betting on free connectivity in beaches and tourist areas, online controls of the bathing water quality, and on information and services centralised through an integrated app and web access, which will be a reality soon.

In addition, the relationship of the resident of Calvià with the administration is being improved through new telematic services. Work is being done to monitor the cleaning routes of the city and the filling of containers, to make maps of noise pollution or to sensorise the municipal car parks to know from any mobile device the available places.