At a presentation on Wednesday evening at the Midtown Loft Terrace in New York, Palma's mayor, José Hila, stressed the commitment to the US market. "We know that American tourists are demanding, that they look for a high-quality product and that they pursue excellence and quality."
Hila was speaking to an audience of some 75 tour operators. As well as the Palma 365 Foundation (Palma's tourism promotion body), there were representatives from leading hotel companies - HM, Pabisa, Meliá, Riu and Iberostar - and from Palma Aquarium.
The mayor added that the initiative in New York represents "a qualitative leap" in terms of promotion of Palma and Mallorca. The Palma 365 Foundation, he said, seeks to provide the city with "quality products throughout the year". The 1,500 American tourists who currently arrive in Palma each week on United Airlines flights are "undoubtedly having a positive economic impact for the city".
The aim is for the United flights to act as a springboard for all-year American tourism.