Speaking at the Fitur fair in Madrid yesterday, President Armengol said that one of the government's principal objectives is to lengthen the tourism season in all of the Balearic Islands to more than eight months.
She recognised, however, that the same conditions don't apply to all the islands. Nevertheless, the current figures are good and "progress is being made in the low season, meaning that we can speak of there being eight-month seasons." The president stressed the need for public and private sector cooperation in order to extend the season and also for a continuation of investment in tourism.
Armengol also expressed her thanks for the wage agreement for the hospitality sector. This will allow salary levels that were lost during the years of economic crisis to be recovered.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia opened the fair - the 38th Fitur - which is taking place against the background of what was another record year for Spanish tourism in 2017. Spain overtook the US to become the country with the most foreign tourism behind France.
At Fitur there are over 10,000 participants from 165 countries and regions. The King and Queen visited many of the stands and were accompanied by, among others, the national minister for tourism, Álvaro Nadal, the tourism secretary of state, Matilde Asían, and the secretary general of the UN World Tourism Organisation, Zurab Pololikashvili.
Among the business stands that the royal couple visited was Iberia's. They were greeted by the Iberia robot O'Clock, which announced: "Your majesties, welcome to Iberia, the most punctual airline in the world; the most technology, the Iberia of the future."
India is Fitur's "partner" country this year, and the King and Queen visited India's pavilion and were treated to some "tastes" of the country.