After the great success of the online courses organised by AETIB in December 2020, from October this year to December 2021 Balearic Islands Agency for Tourism offers the second edition of online courses for tourism SMEs to improve their competitiveness.

From January to October 2021, AETIB Action Plan activities have focused on the following actions to alleviate the consequences on tourism of the COVID crisis:

1) Reactivation of tourism activity, plus ensuring a safe destination:

  • Creation of a new website, called: safetourism.illesbalears.travel to inform tourists about COVID regulations, situation, recommendations, protocols, etc.
  • Travel health insurance free to all tourists arriving to Balearic Islands between August and December 2021, that covers the costs resulting from stay being prolonged due to quarantine and/or return transport.

2) Communication campaigns in main European markets (UK/Ger/Fra/Spa) to reinforce Balearic Islands destination image and voucher discounts for residents to travel between Balearic Islands.

All these actions are in line with Policy Instrument Number 1, "Improving the region's positioning".

In regards to Action 2 of the Balearic Islands Action Plan, which was about delivering training courses to increase tourism SMEs competitiveness, two editions of the courses have been organized by AETIB with own economic resources:

  • First edition, took place on the 3rd, 10th, 14th and 17th Dec. 2020. Four online training courses (16h each course) to improve the competitiveness of the tourism SMEs, were delivered to 71 participants and 118 registered users. Workshops were on co-creation of experiential, innovative and sustainable tourism products. 95% highly satisfied.
    Cost: 12.000€
    https://www.roundcubers.com/talleres-de-cocreacion-de-productos-turisticos-experienciales-innovadores-y-sostenibles/ 
  • Second edition. In May 2021, AETIB opened a public tender to contract the organization of the second edition of online training Workshops for tourism SMEs. Contract was awarded on June 2021 and the courses will take place from October to December 2021.
    Cost: 305.856€
    Topics covered by the new Workshops:

                    - product knowledge, specialization and innovation
                    - digital transformation
                    - digital marketing
                    - networking
                    - new post covid scenarios
                    - sustainability and ODS
https://aetibformacio.illesbalears.travel/

The constant transformation of the tourism sector requires continuous training and professionalization of the sector, as a development axis to achieve quality and excellence in tourism. Therefore, Balearic Islands Action Plan incorporates until 2022, actions aimed at carrying out training programs, to help SMEs and tourism professionals to acquire greater skills and competitive knowledge, so they can adapt to the current needs presented by the market.

Objectives of this training actions are:

  1. Offer comprehensive training and improving the skills of the tourism sector of the Balearic Islands.
  2. Contribute to the improvement of the productivity and competitiveness of SMEs by favoring the reactivation of the sector, creating new scenarios oriented to cooperation, co-creation and application of innovation possibilities in all areas and processes of tourism companies.
  3. Promote new forms of tourism, to boost the transformation and digitalization of the sector and cushion the impact of the health crisis on the sector.
  4. Provide tourism professionals with the most appropriate information, knowledge and methodology to convert opportunities or resources into innovative tourism products.
  5. Incorporate innovation and creativity systemically into the natural process of doing business.