DECENTRALISATION and diversification have been on the lips of Balearic governments for years, but very little has actually been done.
Now, however, the pandemic has brought to the surface more than ever just how reliable the region, in particular Mallorca, is on tourism and the need to a reset with regards to looking forward.
There have been meetings between the public and private sectors over the past few months about how to go about this- how can Mallorca ease its dependence on tourism.
Last week, calls were made for the Balearics to look a more multimedia, audiovisual future - expand the region’s blooming potential as a film making and production location - including music.
The market has been steadily growing and is enjoying a great deal of international appeal and this should bear fruit once travel restrictions are eventually eased and foreign productions, such as The Mallorca Files, can return to island and resume filming.
Mallorca now hosts some of the most prestigious independent film festivals in Europe, the Evolution Festival will this year be celebrating its 10th anniversary - proof that with better private-public sector collaboration, tourism no longer has to be the be-all and end-all of the Balearics. Tourism will never be the same again and it is time to develop new fields of industry.