My comments yesterday about Real Mallorca playing a greater role in promoting the island abroad through international cup competitions were given an unexpected vote of confidence yesterday by Doug Ellis, Chairman of Aston Villa football club and a key person in the tourism world both here and in his native Birmingham. Mr. Ellis stressed the importance of extending Mallorca's success on the pitch to ventures outside the stadium including promoting the merits of Majorca as a holiday destination. Mr. Ellis hosted Real Mallorca at his Villa Park ground in the final of the Cup Winners' Cup two years ago and saw for himself the great potential in extending Majorca's promotional reach through football.
Aston Villa has done their fair share in promoting Birmingham in various tours around the world. Thanks to Sky TV coverage of the Spanish First Division Real Mallorca has become a household name in some homes in Britain.
The local ministry for tourism has an extensive budget for promotional activities, much of which is spent on media advertising and trade fairs. Having Real Mallorca plastered across the back-pages of newspapers in Britain and Germany is priceless publicity and probably more importantly for the cash-strapped local ministry for tourism, it is free.
Forget trade fairs and think football, we have already been red carded once for missing the Cup Winners' Cup campaign let's go for the three points and leave our rivals across the Mediterranean off-side. Football is a beautiful game and Majorca is a beautiful place.