Balearic hotel sector all set after Spain’s government gives green light to tourism pilot project in holiday islands Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza

THE Balearic Island hotel sector says it’s all set to receive visitors in response to Monday’s news the Spanish Government have given the green light for a polit tourism project to go ahead in Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera in the second fortnight of June.

Starting on June 15, 6,000 Germans will visit the archipelago this month without having to quarantine for 14 days, even though Spain will not officially open its borders until July 1.

Both the ASA hotel chain association and the FEHM Mallorca hotel company federation said they were pleased with the news, although they regretted that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s administration had not reached a decision on the initiative earlier.

ASA president Gabriel Llobera commented that the project “will make the recovery of tourism activity in the archipelago possible through safe corridors with areas of Germany which are in the same de-escalation phase as the islands.”

FEHM president Maria Frontera pointed out that in receiving the first tourists of the 2020 holiday season the Balearics will gain a “competitive advantage” over other European destinations.

Both associations described the initiative as an opportunity to trial the Covid-19 infection prevention protocols put in place to protect guests and staff and to show that the Balearics are a safe holiday destination.

Around 4,000 of the tourists visiting the Balearics as part of the pilot project will go to Mallorca, mainly to Playa de Palma. Another 1,000 will visit Menorca, and the rest will be divided between Ibiza and Formentera.