At the conference with German tourism industry representatives in Playa de Palma on Sunday, the president of Iberostar, Miguel Fluxà, said that his hotel company, like others in Majorca, "is making a great effort so that all those who choose the island for their holidays can do so safely".
At the roundtable event, which had the theme of "resuming tourism in the new scenario", Fluxà pointed to Majorca having the same level of pandemic as Germany, which was why the message was being conveyed that "Majorca is ready to give of its best in confronting the situation safely". "We are seeing the advantages of working together. The relationship between Spain and Germany is ever stronger." He thanked the industry representatives for their help, adding that "it is always a pleasure to work with Germans, who are the ones with whom we are going to celebrate the success of a joint effort against Covid-19".
The Balearics health minister, Patricia Gómez, stressed that the islands "have an excellent health system, thanks to which they are today a safe destination". "In the Balearics, the data on the epidemic are favourable, with few active and new cases. There are adequate resources to cope with any new outbreak, if this were to occur. This is because, in large part, the Balearic government does not view healthcare as an expense but rather as an investment. The government had already invested in personnel, infrastructure and technology. However, the new situation forced an increase in investment, with more than 1,000 beds, of which 200 alone were for intensive care, and with the recruitment of over 900 more professionals in recent months."
Gómez outlined how coronavirus care has been organised, saying that "thanks to efforts by the ministry for the economic model, tourism and employment as well as by employers, there are also spaces to isolate tourists who do not require hospital admission". The government, she added, wished "to thank all those present - travel agencies, tour operators, the media, Iberostar and other hotel businesspeople - for their efforts and participation with the project (the tourism test plan) in showing to the world that the Balearics is a safe destination".
Among those attending the conference were representatives from DER Touristik, Condor, the DRV travel association, Lufthansa City Center (travel agencies) and the chief editor of the FVW travel magazine.