German tourists arriving in Palma as part of Pilot Plan. | EFE

TW
2

The Government and hoteliers have finalised a new Pilot Plan to bring tourists from the main European source markets to Mallorca and the other Balearic Islands.

The objective is to reactivate economic and labour activity whilst strictly complying with all health protocols.

The new plan, which is based on the Pilot that was carried out in Mallorca from June 15-21 is being studied by the Ministry of Labour & Tourism, the Ministry of Health and the Private Sector.

"Collaboration with the Government is absolute and the objective is to bring tourists to the Balearic Islands with all the necessary coronavirus protocols in place in the Balearic Islands and the rest of the European emitting countries,” said Association of Hotel Chains President Gabriel Llobera.

Tourism & Labour Minister Iago Negueruela has held various meetings with business owners in recent weeks and has spoken to some of the large hoteliers in the Balearic Islands, including the co-President of the Riu chain, Carmen Riu, the CEO of Meliá and the President of Exceltur, Gabriel Escarrer Jaume.

The Government is considering several different scenarios to get the Balearic economy back on its feet after a disastrous 2020.

"We are working with the Private Sector, in this case Hoteliers and the Tourism Pilot Plan will only be launched when the time is right," said the Ministry of Tourism.

"Until the current curve is reduced and the levels of contagion are low enough to be considered a safe, the pilot plan is not feasible, because it's dependent on a positive evolution in the Balearic Islands and in the countries that the tourists come from," said Llobera.

The rest of the Tourist Sectors, including the Balearic Business Federation of Transport or FEBT, Restoration and Leisure want the Government’s initiative with the hoteliers to go ahead and Tour Operators and Airlines also support it.

No date has been set for the Pilot Plan to begin, but everyone involved wants it to be launched as soon as possible because thousands of jobs and the survival of many companies in all Sectors in the Balearic Islands is at stake.