TURESPAÑA, in agreement with the Balearic government, has decided to pospote promotional campaigns for the islands in the chief European markets.
According to Joana Barceló, president of the Council of Minorca, and head of its tourism department, she has received a fax from Tiffany Blackman, Turespaña's director, announcing the decision. Barceló said that Turespaña and the Balearic government had decided to postpone the Baleares Marks campaign until the conflict in Iraq is resolved.
The decision also applies to campaigns for each island which had been agreed between the Balearic and central administrations.
Tiffany Blackman said that it was not a one-sided decision by Turespaña, and stressed that it had been taken jointly with the Balearic government and other Spanish regions which take part in Turespaña's promotional programme. She added that decisions will be made in accordance with the evolution of the conflict. Nobody has a crystal ball to know what will happen. It is a question of sensitivity.
Blackman said that it was the best decision in the current circumstances.
Now is not the time for advertising.
The fax was also received by the Minorcan tourism board, and explains that the decision was taken after talks with the new secretary general of tourism, Germán Porras, who replaces Juan José Güemes, and representatives of the regions which take part in Turespaña's programme.
AGREEMENT
The agreement signed between the central and Balearic governments, through Turespaña and Enturib, involved an eight million euro campaign to recover Balearic tourism. Turespaña was to have provided 50 per cent, Enturib 3'970'000 euros and the Chamber of Commerce 30'000 euros.
Fifty five per cent of the money would have been spent on promoting Majorca, while Minorca and Ibiza were to receive 20 per cent each and Formentera five per cent. The new campaign for Minorca was due to start next week.
The campaign was part of the Spain Marks campaign which has already been hit by controversy as the posters used were branded as sexist, a charge which was denied.