Balearic Islands: Private and public sectors agree strategic plan for sustainable cruise tourism

The decision was announced during a meeting in the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce of Majorca and organised by the Balearic Islands'

Port Authority (APB) and the Cruise Lines International Association. The moderator of the meeting was Luis de Carvalho, ceo B&A Europe which is assisting the Balearic islands with the development of a long term cruise business strategy.
 
Officials present included vice president and minister of tourism of the government of the Balearic Islands, Gabriel Barceló; the president of Ibiza

island council, Vicent Torres; the councillor of tourism of Palma's city council, Joana Adrover; the first deputy mayor of Mahon's council, Vicenç Tur and the councillor of tourism of Alcudia, Joan Vallori.
 
Cruise lines represented included Pullmantur, AIDA, Carnival and MSC Cruises.
 
The president of CLIA Spain, Alfredo Serrano, stated,  'regions such as the Balearic Islands are essential for the development of the

cruise industry, with doorways such as Palma, one of the most important ports of Europe, and other ports of the archipelago which have grown

considerably in the last few years and have a great potential.'  
 
Four ports, plus La Savina anchorage, of the Balearic Islands, a MedCruise member and managed by the APB, welcomed almost 2m cruise passengers last year from around 790 calls in 2015, surpassed in the Med only by Civitavecchia.
 
According to a study carried out by the UIB and the CAEB in 2011, the impact of cruise ships on the  economy of the Balearic Islands is €290m in annual turnover, €146m in GDP contribution and 3,000 jobs. Nonetheless, cruise tourism only represents 3% of the annual tourism of the Balearic Islands.
 
The port of Palma de Mallorca is base port for West Mediterranean itineraries, Alcudia tends to attract smaller and more exclusive cruise ships, while port of Mahon is positioned as a Med boutique port, although it can receive ships of more than 200mtr in length, and port of Ibiza is receiving the longest stays in port as passengers seek to enjoy the island's nightlife.