The Consell de Formentera reports that the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (Butlletí Oficial de les Illes Balears, BOIB) has published an agreement by the Governing Council which establishes that from today (4 December) until 24 January a "COVID certificate" will be required to enter clubs, bars, restaurants and establishments where celebrations are held with an indoor capacity in excess of 50 people.

Ana Juan, President of the Consell de Formentera, described the measure as "on target" and asserted it had been agreed with business and trade union representatives. She added that it "will give us greater security to control spread of the pandemic". President Juan stressed the measure was about "reducing the likelihood of contagion" and that it will "enable a greater reopening of one of the sectors which has been hit the hardest by the pandemic".

Formentera, like the rest of the Balearic Islands, is at tier 1 health alert and at this level COVID certificates are required to access the following establishments:
-Night clubs and dance halls
-Bars, cafés and pubs.
-Establishments with food, drinks and/or dancing where capacity exceeds 50 people.
-Restaurants with an indoor capacity in excess of 50 people, including spaces within tourist accommodations where food and drinks are served, sports facilities, recreational centres for the elderly and gambling/betting establishments.
-Other spaces which serve as nightclubs, dance halls and restaurants, and where indoor capacity exceeds 50 people.

President Juan pointed out that at this time of year on Formentera, few establishments fulfill the criteria in which requesting the COVID certificate is mandatory. The Consell has already given comprehensive information on the subject to the small- and medium-sized business group (Pimef) and Chamber of Commerce. It is also in contact with local law enforcement and has re-activated the 'Protect Formentera, for you and for everyone!' campaign.

Under the Governing Council agreement, access and COVID certificates must be controlled by locale owners or managers, who must also ask to see an ID card or another document establishing the holder's identity. At any given business, only one person shall check the documents and no corresponding records shall be kept. COVID certificates can be verified with a dedicated app available for download here.

President Juan closed by appealing to islanders to continue acting responsibly. "New infections are up and we must be cautious and responsible. I repeat, people need to be getting vaccinated. Vaccines have been shown to be the most effective tool to protect against COVID".

4 December 2021
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

Today, before a gathering of the Commission for the Management and Promotion of Tourism (Comissió d'Ordenació i Promoció Turística, COPT), Alejandra Ferrer, Vice President and Councillor of Tourism, sat down with Carlos Bernús, Head of Tourism Promotion, and Catalina Ramis, a specialist at the Formentera Data Observatory, for a press conference to share with industry representatives details about a project involving sensor antennas and research into tourist mobility flows and empathic listening on social media.

Flow of tourists

The June 2020 installation of ten sensor antennas at strategic points of the island means that, for the first time this year, the island's government can present data on crowds in various areas of the island and mobility flows involving tourists, day visitors and Formentera residents. According to Ms Ramis, the data indicate that from June to October 2021, 541,419 visitors came to Formentera. Of this number, 361,531 were day-trippers and 179,888 were tourists who spent at least one night on the island.
Councillor Ferrer explained that the data serve to back Formentera up in requesting competent administrations "to help regulate this influx of visitors, especially in the case of day trips." The idea, said Ferrer, "is that day visitors arrive in a more orderly manner and in line with the island's carrying capacity and port". Moreover, she said, if Formentera's tourism marketing division knows how day-trippers move, the island's government can "make policies to better distribute them so some sites are not overrun by crowds" and "tourist and islander satisfaction goes up".

Empathetic listening on social media

Over the course of the summer season, Formentera's representatives listened to feedback from the island's visitors on social media and online broadcasting channels. All told, an initial 22,858 visitor comments reached 110,674,824 individuals.

In the words of the deputy premier and tourism chief, "the aim of the Empathetic Listening project is to learn about the various actions and online reactions of Formentera's visitors regarding the island's offer as a tourist destination. The data are differentiated based on whether tourists are Spanish, English, French, Italian or German so decision-makers can understand the insight more clearly and chose wisely as they attempt to improve the destination".

The study's authors identified a high degree of tourist satisfaction with their holidays and experiences on Formentera. Tourists indicated that the island awakened feelings and emotions of "happiness and admiration for distinctly well-preserved nature, landscapes and beaches". Other highlights were "the light, beauty, magic, sense of tranquility and people". They described Formentera as "an authentic and unique paradise" and "a sustainable destination".

Leading concerns included the large numbers of tourists at specific times and places on the island. Day-trippers in particular said crowds caused a diminished sense of charm and other issues.

COPT

Ferrer, Bernús and the COPT's political and industry representatives met after the press conference. Participants sat for a review of marketing activities this year included in the Economic and Tourism Promotion Plan approved jointly with the sector. The events' schedule was presented as well so that the industry can plan the start and end of its season. In addition to agreeing on marketing activities for 2022, COPT members agreed to convene again after the International Tourism Fair (Fitur), which coincides with the end of the 2022 Tourism Promotion Plan.

2 December 2021
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera