Entrepreneurs’ clubs in Mallorca have called on the government of the Balearic Islands in an open letter to scrap the current agreement restricting cruise ships. According to them, there is a risk that shipping companies will feel too limited and ignore the port of Palma de Mallorca. Instead, this type of travel should be promoted by the authorities, the entrepreneurs write. The open letter was published on the occasion of the launch of the Fitur international tourism fair in Madrid, which runs until 28 January. According to the signatories, the capital Palma de Mallorca had 310,000 fewer cruise passengers last year than in the pre-corona year of 2019. That represents a decrease of 15 percent. The cruise ship restriction agreement, which the previous left-wing government had agreed with the main shipping companies, stipulates that only three cruise ships can dock per day. Only one of them may have a capacity of more than 5,000 passengers. The agreement has been valid for three years since 2023, Spanish media report. According to the business associations that drafted the letter, waiting until 2025 is taking too long. According to them, some shipping companies are already considering diverting to other ports. The fact that cruise ships pollute the air in Palma is nonsense, according to the entrepreneurs’ clubs. “The cruise ships represent quality tourism, with many families, high spending, and the use of eco-friendly technologies and sustainability,” the letter said. ‘All studies show that the air quality in Palma is good.’ The entrepreneurs say it is unclear that the Balearic Islands scheme invests a lot of money to promote the island on the Fitur, but at the same time maintains a limit. “The local government goes to the Fitur to promote culture and quality tourism and then limits the number of cruise holidaymakers that fit right into this niche.” (Photo: Shutterstock).
