Balearics has to diversify and start to specialise

Sustainability and decentralisation are the two basic aims agreed on yesterday by delegates at the international tourism conference. European tourism experts attending the summit at the ParcBit technology park spent the day having a theoretical discussion about the future of tourism in the Balearics. And all agreed it will depend greatly on vastly improved relations and communications between the local government and the local tourist industry. “We need much more dialogue,” said delegates Richard Butler and Victor Middleton. “There are lots of voices in the Balearic industry but neither the local administration nor the tourist sector is transmitting a clear message, more dialogue is needed to clarify the situation.” French expert Alaine Parteneau stressed the need for the Balearics to vary and diversify its products, two goals the industry and local government are supposed to have been trying to achieve for at least the past three years. However, delegates have advised the Balearics that the best way to diversify is to specialise in key areas, while not turning its back on mass tourism. The conference also agreed that the Balearics needs to both broaden and improve its promotional campaigns overseas, especially in the region's key source markets such as the UK and Germany.