Austria's ambassador to Spain, Christian Ebner, feels that the tourist pilot plan was a positive initiative and "the best international promotion for Majorca".
Speaking in Palma during an official visit on Monday, the ambassador said that the plan was "the only way to test all anti-coronavirus protocols" in hotels and along the tourism industry's "value chain". Majorca is the main holiday destination for Austrians, so "we all want a return to the new normal and to restoring the movement of tourists". This movement will be "a very important index of economic activity and will show that health protocols are working and are effective". "The sanitary protection measures should not be relaxed."
The ambassador stated that "historical ties" between Austria and Majorca are very important. "The island is a special magnet for us", he noted, referring to the some 3,000 Austrian residents in Majorca and also to Austrian tourism. He described this tourism as "seasonally adjusted". "We seek the sun and beach, but we also come to the island for hiking, cycling, golf and nature. This gives added value at a tourism level and for the island's economy."
In 2019, the ambassador explained, 1.2 million Austrian tourists came to Spain. Of these, 37% chose the Balearics, followed by the Canaries (25%) and Catalonia with 15%.