On its first day at the World Travel Market in London, the Ibiza Consell Consell de Ibizarepresented by President Vicent Marí, took advantage of the fair to consolidate the island’s offer to British operators and reinforce its commitment to sustainable and diversified tourism. The day began with a minute’s silence at the stand of Turespaña stand in solidarity with the victims of the catastrophe that recently affected the Valencian Community and other areas of the country. Marí stressed the importance of conveying to British agents that Ibiza is a destination that offers year-round activities, underlining its commitment to sports tourism. “It is essential that they know our offer beyond the sun and beach, with sporting events that help us extend the season from March to November,” explained the president. Another of the central issues addressed was the sustainable tourism tax, a resource that Marí considers “consolidated” and key to mitigating the tourist impact on the island. The president welcomed the announcement of the Balearic Minister of Tourism, Jaume Bauzá, who outlined new strategies to give greater visibility to the investments financed with this tax, aimed at improving the coexistence between tourists and residents. In addition, Marí stressed the Government’s intention to allocate part of this revenue to combat intrusion in the tourism sector, a problem that affects both the residential market and accommodation in Ibiza.
Key meetings
During the day, the president also held key meetings with figures such as the director of Turespaña, Miguel Sanz, and representatives of the UK’s main travel agency association, ABTA. At this meeting, Marí highlighted the loyalty of the British market to Ibiza, with a repetition rate of over 60% and a destination rating of 9 out of 10 in various segments. Marí’s agenda also included a meeting with the Minister Counselor of the British Embassy in Spain, Sarah Cowley, and the Consul in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, Lloyd Milen, in which topics of interest such as tourism phobia and tourism of excesses were discussed, underlining the importance of collaboration between countries to manage these challenges for the benefit of the tourist experience and quality of life on the island.
