RENON ~ Entrepreneurs from Spain said they were interested in investing in Bali during a meeting with Governor I Made Mangku Pastika, officials said.

They said Alvaro Bonela, Fernando Alonso Varea and Pablo Cutillas Navarro from the European General Investment Company, accompanied by Indonesian Ambassador to Spain Slamet Mustafa, visited the governor’s office last Friday to discuss investment prospects.

Mustafa said the trade network between Spain and Indonesia was well connected and worth 2.1 billion euros annually.

Because of the potential for growth, the ambassador said he invited 60 Spanish businesspeople to Indonesia, to show them the possibilities.

Varea said he was interested in projects in Bali, such as running a Real Madrid Academy, a school for footballers to be constructed in the Canggu are of North Kuta.

He said the academy would have a positive effect on Bali’s profile in the world of sports and in the tourism sector.

Governor Pastika said he was excited about the investor’s ideas, especially the Real Madrid Academy, but said he would have to discuss the idea with planners, as it would need a large amount of land.