Palma de Majorca.Palma City Council is receiving applications from tourist businesses on a wide scale who want to be included in Palma de Majorca's new Tourism Foundation which is due to be officially set up halfway through January next year, municipal sources confirmed yesterday. The Foundation will work towards promotion of all-year-round tourism.
Tourism Councillor Alvaro Gijon said that as well as German and British tourist organisations and luxury groups such as Starwood Hotels, there are also leading cruise line companies, including Costa Cruceros and MSC wanting to join what is clearly perceived to be a significant marketing project. He said that the Palma de Majorca Tourism Foundation will nurture business all year round because those who are joining will be bringing their own private capital to further the venture. Although the Foundation has been the brainchild of the City Council anddespite the fact that other regional authorities will sit on the Board, Gijon said, it is not public money which is going to launch the campaign.
He added that at a time of recession and cutbacks in public sector funding, a private venture was the only way to engender confidence in the tourist industry. Included in the Foundation's Board representation to date are the Balearic Ports Authority, Melia Hotesl International, the Council of Majorca, the Majorcan Chamber of Commerce, rent-a-car and sightseeing companies and it is predicted that the Spanish Airports Authority AENA will also be signing up.
Gijon said that the City Council was receiving applications from small to medium-sized businesses but priority was being given to the larger companies who could guarantee capital.