The Mallorca Tourism Board is inviting agents to sign its new Responsible Tourism Pledge, described as “a complete change in the promotion and positioning of Mallorca”. Discover how you and your clients can use it to help support this beautiful Balearic island.
Mallorca is famed for its picturesque coastline, delicious cuisine and enchanting villages, and now the island’s tourism chiefs are looking to position it as a leading destination for responsible tourism.
Agents are invited to sign the Responsible Tourism Pledge at mallorcapledge.com and share its eight key points with their clients. They all focus on preserving Mallorca’s natural beauty and cultural treasures, ensuring the long-term prosperity of the island and its local communities.
The Pledge has been designed to help reposition Mallorca as a destination, focusing on the importance of sustainability and responsible travel practices, while balancing the needs of travellers and the environment.
Here are the eight key messages, which you can use to inspire your clients. Why not encourage them to sign too, ahead of their next visit?
1. Treat Mallorca as a home
Your clients can help preserve the beauty of Mallorca by ensuring they treat it with the kindness and consideration they’d show in their home. They can take all waste with them, and look for designated recycling spots. Remind them to lend a hand by picking up any litter they find on the beach or the streets, even if it’s not theirs.
2. Appreciate and protect nature
Guests can play their part in keeping hiking trails and coastlines clean. When hiking, stick to the designated paths to avoid harming delicate ecosystems. Show respect for the rich biodiversity by refraining from stepping on or uprooting local plants and by not disturbing the native wildlife.
3. Make a positive impact
Customers can minimise their ecological impact by being mindful of their water and energy usage during their stay. Encourage them to opt for sustainable transportation choices like walking, cycling and public transportation, or to use electric vehicles to get around. When selecting accommodation and services, prioritise those that have sustainable practices in place.
4. Buy, consume and live locally
Visitors can taste the island’s diverse culinary delights and show their support for local farmers by opting for homegrown products. By purchasing handmade crafts and local goods they’re not only treating themselves, but also bolstering the island’s economy and helping local communities thrive.
5. Help preserve marine ecosystems
While enjoying the island’s underwater wonders, guests should refrain from interacting, touching or harming coral and marine species. When diving, snorkelling or doing any water activities, travellers should remember not to disrupt the marine inhabitants, and avoid anchoring near seagrass meadows when sailing.
6. Reuse, reduce and recycle
Clients can help reduce plastic consumption by carrying a reusable water bottle and opting for eco-friendly products. Encourage them to sort any waste they generate into the correct, colour-coded bins.
7. Respect local communities
By behaving with the kindness and respect they would at home, visitors can ensure their trip doesn’t disrupt locals. Encourage clients to take the time to learn about local life.
8. Encourage others!
Endorse the Pledge yourself, and encourage clients and colleagues to sign it as well, and share any feedback and suggestions you have at join@mallorcapledge.com to help the island improve its sustainability initiatives.
The first organisation to sign the Pledge was the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and it has also gained support from a range of agencies and operators in the UK.
The Pledge marks the beginning of a new tourism management strategy on the island, based on respect and coexistence between residents and visitors. The Pledge was first presented at WTM London, where the president of the Island Council of Mallorca (CIM), Llorenç Galmés, said: “As the global travel landscape evolves, so must our approach to tourism, and this pledge is our proposal for changing the model of promotion, communication, and brand management."
Find out more and sign the Pledge at mallorcapledge.com
Watch a video about the Pledge below:
And watch this 30-second video to see some of the highlights of Mallorca: