In May, Royal Caribbean’s ‘Allure of the Seas’, the world’s biggest cruise ship, will dock in Palma de Mallorca, bringing a mountain of economic benefits.

Carrying 139,000 turnaround passengers and 2,384 crew members, the ship is expected to generate €8 million in passenger spending and an additional €500,000 from the crew. With 22 eight-hour stopovers planned between May and October, the ship will give a boost to Mallorca’s tourism and commercial activity.

Palma’s Mayor Mateu Isern spoke of the ‘spectacular’ growth of cruise tourism, making Palma Spain’s second-largest cruise destination and the Mediterranean’s fourth. The 362-metre-long ship, with capacity for 6,318 passengers, features seven themed areas, including an Aquatheater, Central Park with 12,000 plants, and Broadway’s musical ‘Chicago’. The Balearic Port Authority’s investments have made Palma an irresistible hub, contributing to a €27 million economic impact across Spain.

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Torrox made a new ‘statement’ as the fastest-growing town in the Malaga Province. During an extraordinary plenary session, the Town Hall approved its municipal budget for 2025: €36.3 million. The new budget will come into effect following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Province of Málaga (BOP).

Mayor Óscar Medina named the budget an “expansive” one. The plan is to strengthen Torrox’s economic momentum. According to the mayor, this is just the beginning of “the best years for Torrox.”

Known as the town with the best climate in Europe, Torrox has risen in the last years, with increases in per capita income, job creation, and quality of life. Mayor Medina wants to continue the growth, and he noted that actual spending could exceed €40 million once surplus funds and the town’s lack of deficit are factored in.

The new budget includes more than €3 million in real investments and forecasts an initial gross savings of over €625,000. In the last ten years, while expanding its population and public services, Torrox’s budget has doubled, from €18.6 million to over €36 million.

The local administration says that it will prioritize sustainable urban growth, quality tourism, and long-standing community needs. At the same time, they want to focus on preserving local traditions and identity.

Read here more news from Axarquia.

The Junta de Andalucía has introduced drones into the daily operations of its environmental agents to enhance the protection and monitoring of the region’s rich natural heritage.

This new Drone Unit, part of the Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment, is made up of agents trained and certified to operate UAVs under European safety regulations. The unit was launched in 2022 and it evolved all these years.

Now, the agents have expanded their capabilities with a new non-EASA certificate. This allows them to use drones typically excluded from EU aviation regulations, such as those used in police or military operations, for environmental and territorial surveillance.

Drones now assist the agents in essential tasks such as monitoring conservation work in natural spaces, inspecting administrative cases on the ground, or emergency support during wildfires, floods, or missing person searches.

This ‘drone move’ is part of a strategy to modernize and digitize environmental protection efforts in Andalusia. It enhances data analysis, streamlines fieldwork, and supports real-time decision-making in remote areas.

The use of this modern technology strengthens the role of environmental agents as guardians of Andalusia’s forests, biodiversity, and protected areas.

Read here more news from Axarquia.