The index of tourism competitiveness has been created by the Fundación Impulsa and the Balearic agency for tourism strategy. It places the Balearics eighth out of 280 destinations from 38 European, African and Asian countries.
In presenting the results of this index in Madrid, tourism minister Bel Busquets said that the Balearic government's commitment to quality tourism is reflected in the study. Moreover, the Balearics position highlights low-season tourism with its focus on culture and gastronomy. She added that there is a "smoothing" of the high-summer peaks and a growth in low-season tourism along with greater spend. Busquets also stressed the part played by the tourist tax, with 200 million euros having been collected since it was introduced and which have been invested in environmental conservation and heritage preservation.
Antoni Riera, the technical director of the Fundación Impulsa (the private-public initiative for business development), drew attention to factors which have contributed to the Balearics attaining the eighth position, such as airports, hotel services, security and health and safety.
Topping the index is Andalusia, with Catalonia in second place. Madrid is seventh, Valencia is ninth and the Canaries twenty-first. Spain therefore has regions which occupy five of the top ten positions. France has three - Costa Azul (third), Languedoc-Roussillon (sixth) and Île-de-France (the Paris region) in tenth. The other two are Berlin and Vienna.
