Tourism authorities in the Balearics have pledged to place sustainable tourism at the heart of its post-Covid recovery strategy.
The archipelago’s tourism strategy agency has pledged to put the €270 million raised by its eco "tourism tax", introduced in 2016, towards some 170 sustainable tourism initiatives across Majorca, Ibiza and Formentera.
Projects include regenerating Ibiza’s Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and developing it into a cultural site for visitors.
Other ambitions include turning an old animal shelter, Ses Porqueres de Galatzo, into an environmentally friendly mountain refuge for hikers, and protecting marine life by mapping coastal waters and marking permitted anchoring areas on a new app.
The Balearics’ tax is applied to all stays in tourism accommodation, creating revenue to fund activities to counteract the impact of tourism and promote sustainable tourism.
Minister of tourism Iago Negueruela said: "British tourism is essential for our islands and the UK is our second source market in terms of visitor numbers.
"The tourism industry accounts for around 35% of our islands’ GDP, and it is essential that we bring visitors back.
"However, our ambition is that we do so in a sustainable way, continuing to roll out sustainable initiatives to counteract any negative environmental impacts."
Negueruela added visitors had already directly help fund such initiatives to protect the environment and restore cultural heritage.
"Behind the scenes, we continue to work intensely with the private sector including businesses and trade unions to restart the tourism season and its activities as soon as restrictions are relaxed," Negueruela added.