Yesterday Alejandra Ferrer, Vice-President of the Consell de Formentera and Councillor of Tourism Promotion and Planning, and Carlos Bernús, Head of Promotion, participated in a new meeting of the Commission for Tourism Promotion and Planning (Comissió d'Ordenació i Promoció Turística, COPT). This commission is also made up of local tourism industry representatives like the Hotel Association of Formentera, the Chamber of Commerce, the Small- and Medium-Sized Business Group (PIMEF), Conferation of Business Groups in the Balearics (CAEB), travel agencies and political parties.

On 9 February the body met and presented the draft Tourism Promotion Plan for 2022, and yesterday they approved the document. Ferrer insisted that, as in recent years given COVID-19 and uncertainty around Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the document would be "flexible".

The Vice-President and Councillor of Tourism praised COPT representatives' "collaboration in drawing up this roadmap, which puts special emphasis on diversifying markets and products and on promoting the island in the pre- and post-season".

The document highlights two proposals for the regional and central administrations on promotion, quality and training, as well as proposals on specific promotional campaigns, events and activities to reinforce various products with a special focus on gastronomy, nature and sport.

This document also envisions plans for Formentera's participation in tourism fairs and promotional events and presentations in 2022. "This year most of the events will return to their usual spot on the calendar", said Ferrer, who asserted that, in general, "events will be at the beginning and end of the season to help boost employment during these months".

4 March 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

Today Ana Juan, President of the Consell de Formentera, and Josep Marí, Councillor of Rural Affairs, attended a presentation before media representatives of the new flour mill of the Formentera Farmers' Co-operative (Cooperativa del Camp, CCF) that was given by CCF president Marcos Ribas and manager Carlos Marí.

Ribas expressed his satisfaction with the opening of the flour mill, which "will mean the CCF and our associates can start processing our own grains for quality, edible flours and take them to market". "This way", said Ribas, "we improve the agricultural sector and incentivise new producers".

The flour mill cost €27,000 and the civil works to instal it cost €52,000 (both with VAT included), with funding provided by the CCF. A handmade stone and wood mill manufactured in Austria, the flour mill ensures that the properties of grain are preserved during milling.

Carlos Marí pointed out that flour would be the CCF's first processed product intended for human consumption. He described it as "a select flour with an organic quality seal that will provide added value for farmers, who can get a better return on the grain they grow".

For her part, President Juan praised the CCF "for having started up this mill, which will make it possible to obtain Formentera's traditional xeixa flour, which can then be used at bakeries and restaurants on the island for bread and more". Josep Marí, Councillor of Rural Affairs, said the new infrastructure would serve as an outlet for all the grain produced on the island as part of the CCF-led push in recent years. This year local farmers have already harvested 35,000 kilogrammes of xeixa and 22,000 kg of barley.

The CCF has said this project will help achieve the following objectives:
• Encourage islanders to eat local.
• Adapt the food distribution chain for local production and consumption. Minimise the environmental footprint of transport.
• Offer islanders a quality product with organic certification.
• Promote traditional agricultural products like xeixa wheat, mollar wheat, native barley and oats. The mill will also be a sounding board for publicising traditional flour, and will be open to the public.
• Promote xeixa flour in bakeries and restaurants.

3 March 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera