The Balearic government has a scheme to promote inter-island tourism by residents of the Balearics. This entails vouchers for discounts that the government funds. The latest programme was due to have been from September 1 to November 15, but the government has decided to postpone the start date because of the high level of hotel occupancy in the Balearics.
The vouchers should have been available at the end of July, but the director of the Aetib tourism strategy agency, Xisco Mateu, says that there has been a postponement until occupancy levels drop. "Launching a promotional campaign for discounts when there are such high prices in hotels isn't logical and also when the hotels are almost full. We are going to wait for the situation to change and then the promotion will begin."
The plan had been for 10,000 vouchers to be made available with a government investment of one million euros. The Aviba travel agencies association says that not carrying out the programme as had been planned represents "a great loss of business for us". "No one has told us anything. Aetib is silent, and yet the tourism minister, Iago Negueruela, is the chief promoter of these vouchers for encouraging inter-island travel among residents."
Ferry companies and airlines are also critical of the postponement. They accept that the situation this year is not the same as in the past two years, but inter-island tourism can and should be promoted because of its positive impact.
Aetib is indicating that the programme may be delayed until the end of September.