Today Alejandra Ferrer, Vice-President of the Consell de Formentera and Councillor of Tourism Promotion and Management; representatives of the island's tourism sector, including individuals from the Hotel Association of Formentera, the Chamber of Commerce, the small- and medium-sized business group (PIMEF), the Confederation of Business Groups in the Balearics (CAEB), travel agencies, and members of political parties and trade unions, gathered for the latest meeting of the Commission for Tourism Promotion and Management (Comissió d'Ordenació i Promoció Turística, COPT).

Councillor Ferrer offered an analysis of amendments that have been proposed to the regional tourism act and which have received backing from the Balearic government, and asked for "feedback and contributions" from sector representatives in a bid to "reach a consensus on representations that will be relayed to the Balearic Parliament". Highlights:

- Regarding the Circularity Plan (Pla de Circularitat), proposals will focus on helping small businesses and securing support to implement these measures for the 'circular business' certification.

- Discussion centred on ways to determine the carbon footprint of individual overnight stays, one of the measures included in the Plan, and to extend the calculation to day-trippers as well.

- Attendees agreed on the need to expand advertising for local products, including all Balearic products.

- Attendees also discussed making the COPT responsible for evaluating dispensations from circularity measures, including when compliance is infeasible, as well as for streamlining procedures for businesses that seek upgrades and modernisation work.

- Concerning the moratorium on new authorisations for beds for tourists, attendees concurred about the need to study a specific article for Formentera so that residents are eligible for the same exemptions that hotels already receive in relation to applications under review, and so that residents can receive the correct paperwork for holiday rentals if they have made necessary investments and upgrades to market rentals for tourism in line with the Plan on Quality.

"Essentially we want to adapt this legislation to the needs of Formentera", said Councillor Ferrer, who added, "We would have liked to have participated earlier in developing this act, but we will do so now through with representations to the bill that we will present in Parliament".

15 March 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Social Welfare reports that the Pine Islands Cooperation Fund (Fons Pitiús de Cooperació, FPC) has opened an account to collect contributions from institutions and private citizens to support refugees fleeing the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The Consell, which currently holds the FPC vice-presidency, is pleased to join this initiative. Rafael Ramírez, Councillor of Social Welfare, called it "the best way to ensure the funds reach their destination through organisations working on the ground, and that they translate into real help". To that end, FPC has launched a campaign to support the refugee population and donations, both public and private, can be made to the bank account with the following IBAN: ES21 2056 0015 6420 9145 8527

Money collected in this account will be used to support municipalities that share a border with Ukraine, offering resources like materials to cover basic needs and adapt infrastructure to assist refugees.

14 March 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera