Promoting the Balearics

THE local minister for tourism, Miguel Nadal, is moaning that not enough is being spent on tourism promotion. His department next year has a budget of 30 million euros, which in these hard times is not bad. But the question which needs to be asked is how this money should be spent?

I don´t think celebrity endorsement really works anymore so you forget blowing half the budget on getting a super-star to walk around the various major trade fairs singing the praises of the Balearics. What tourists really want to know is that the islands are safe, offer value for money and there will be a warm welcome. I would suggest to the local authorities that half the money be spent on promoting Majorca as a winter season destination. Let's face it, the weather is not great but there is still plenty to do. With a few more winter tourists many of the problems which dogged our key industry would be resolved, once and for all. So it is not the quantity more the quality. I would suggest to the local minister for tourism that he gets the industry fully involved in how the promotion budget is spent. Small and clever campaigns can work much better than the more elaborate larger ones.

A bit of imagination can sometimes work wonders.