Jaume Bauzà: " The Balearic Islands stand at FITUR will prioritise the participation of tourism companies"

The Regional Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport stresses that at FITUR they prioritise the participation of tourism companies on their stand, regarding it as a space for fostering exchange and opportunities among professionals." 

What are the forecasts for the tourism industry in the Balearic Islands for 2025?

Judging from the data available to us, we expect 2025 to be very similar or slightly higher than 2024 in terms of tourist arrivals, but with a higher average spend. With cumulative arrivals higher than last year, due to a greater supply of accommodation open in the first months of the year and representing a higher income, there may be some moderation during the summer, but this can be corrected with more short-term sales. But always within the context of moderating the pace of growth.

What activities are you carrying out to further improve the islands' tourism positioning?

It is important to note that we, as a Government, do not do promotional campaigns for the destination. It is not within our competence. But it is our job to implement tourism policy and strategies. We are focused on an approach of value optimisation and impact management, rather than volume maximisation. We want to attract tourism that brings development to our region and opens up a multitude of opportunities for workers and entrepreneurs. A positive message must be given, without ignoring the challenges of the aspects which, thanks to tourism, have an impact on the destination. For example, investments through the sustainable tourism tax, be it heritage restoration, environmental actions or the promotion of training, etc.

We are very focused on ensuring that visitors who come to the islands do so in a responsible way, creating awareness, that reiterates the fact that we have a territory with limited resources. We must all care for the islands as if they were our own home. To help achieve this we have launched the "Are you responsible?" communication campaign at airports. We are also focused on public-private collaboration in specific segments that generate added value, or actions that promote local products, both in terms of domestic consumption and in terms of knowledge of them abroad and their distribution; these are the main lines of action.

In this regard, what actions are being developed to achieve sustainable tourism management and reduce the impacts of tourism activity? 

As the driving force of the islands' economy, tourism must be managed intelligently, without taking rash measures and with clear objectives. The Government of the Balearic Islands is committed to the containment of supply, to a quality demand that is more aware of the fragility of the environment, and to a balanced coexistence between residents and visitors. By investing in innovation that helps us to effectively control flow management. It is essential to be able to reach visitors and inform them quickly of the heat maps of the islands’ main attractions. And finally, for action against unauthorised holiday rentals; an illegal offer that, apart from generating a large influx of visitors, creates unfair competition, insecurity and is a major cause of the problem of access to housing.

How does the Balearic Islands' participation in FITUR contribute to the promotion and development of tourism in the islands?

FITUR is the strategic and global meeting point for professionals, both for inbound destinations and outbound markets. For the Balearic Islands it represents a networking platform for the public sector, where strategies and new developments in the destination can be presented, but above all we believe that it should be a showcase for the private sector. For this reason, we attach particular importance to the participation of tourism companies on our stand. It must be a space for the exchange of experiences between tourism professionals, promoting collaboration and the development of new business opportunities.