The Pyrenees Plan, which is one of the great commitments of the Government of Aragon for this legislature, will encompass different areas and sectors, from education and health, to communications, among others. However, the first projects will be focused on tourism, a sector that represents almost 9% of the community’s GDP and in which mountain tourism occupies a fundamental place. It is a four-year strategy of which only the beginning can now be glimpsed. The Pyrenees Plan foresees unique projects in each of the Pyrenean regions, one for each of the years of this legislature, to ensure equity throughout the territory. However, there are big bets that are already a reality.
4 million euros will be invested in what will be one of the longest mountain slides in Europe, an attraction that will give an important boost to the valley through the deseasonalization of the usual tourist activity in the place, focused especially on the practice of winter sports. In addition, it will be an addition to the sports infrastructure already existing in the area, since it can also be used during winter and with snow.
The next unique project will be destined for the Sobrarbe region, with a project focused on cycle tourism. Thanks to the Tourism Sustainability Plans in Destination, financed entirely with the Next Generation EU funds of the Recovery Plan, the connection by cable car of Benasque with the Cerler ski resort will also be possible in 2026.
This project, necessary due to the increase in the number of skiers in the resort, will respond to the population increase in both Cerler and Benasque, the larger size of the current vehicles and the construction conditions of the road, it will require a global investment of 17.5 million euros, part of which will also be contributed by the Aragonese Executive’s own funds.
A project that, in addition to the 13 million euros of European funds and other administrations, will require an additional investment from the Government of Aragon of another 13 million euros of its own funds, until completing the 26 million total budget of the work. In this way, both stations will be linked with a ten-seater cable car from Candanchú to the return station of the Pastores chairlift (Astún) and a fixed four-seater chairlift that will connect Candanchú and the power station of the cable car.
Furthermore, for the Government of Aragon it is a priority that the municipality of Cerler has a double entrance, one of them from the municipality of Montanuy, through the N-230 highway.
For this reason, through its own funds, it will execute the project through a multi-year agreement that will reach 18 million euros and that will have, in 2024, 2 million euros in the regional budgets. This will also reinforce the revitalization of the area and the 17 urban centers that make up Montanuy and the deseasonalization of tourism.
On the other hand, another 17 million euros will be allocated to different tourism projects in the Pyrenean valleys from European funds: 4.1 million in the Ribagorza region; 5.4 million in Sallent de Gállego; 3 million for the Tena Valley; 4 million for the Aragón Valley, and another 400,000 euros for promotional campaigns. And, also within the framework of the tourism sustainability plans at the destination, the Sobrarbe region will receive 2.3 million euros for its Sobrarbe-Pirineos 365 project.
Among the main actions, the development of astrotourism, geological routes or the sustainable mobility plan, among others, stand out. These projects are just the beginning of a global plan that will benefit the entire province and promote snow tourism in the community, a vital sector for the Aragonese economy and culture.