The RITTS strategy for the Balearic Islands had as one of its key objectives the stimulation of the innovative capacity of the tourism sector, especially to encourage companies to take full advantage of the new opportunities offered by ICT.
Rationale and objectives
Tourism-related services play a crucial role in the regional economy of the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera). The RITTS strategy for the Balearic Islands had as one of its objectives the stimulation of the innovative capacity of the tourism sector, especially to encourage companies to take full advantage of the new opportunities offered by ICT.
Measures in the strategy included actions to find the equilibrium between tourism development and environmental sustainability, the identification and promotion of thematic clusters, including tourism services, and mobilising programmes for the development of strategic areas for tourism and leisure. As a matter of fact, one of the five action lines of the Innovative Actions Programme was entirely devoted to support innovation in the regional tourism sector.
The Innovative Actions of the Balearic Islands, INNOBAL XXI project, was articulated with the first Balearic Islands Innovation Plan (2001-2004), and it aimed to enhance innovation processes in companies at large and in the tourism sector in particular.
The following general objectives were to be achieved with the programme actions: help small enterprise hotels attract more tourists; create new products adapted to the ‘e-generation’ of tourists; disseminate technologically advanced equipment in companies working in this sector.
Key activities
The activities undertaken within the INNOBAL XXI project included tourism cluster generation, creation and management of a website, organisation of an international seminar on tourism, preparation of an information system for tourism, introduction of a Master’s programme in tourism and implementation of new technology in tourism enterprises, training tourism personnel and creation of a virtual Roman city.
Cluster generation: Balearic Islands "Sun and sand" Tourism Cluster encompasses companies working with the same kind of product to be launched, so as to contribute to improve the productivity of the sector. On the basis of this project, a quality plan was developed for the small enterprises and for the services sector (bars and restaurants) in the locality of Calvià.
Creation and management of a website: a specialised Internet website was developed for the Muro Beaches Hotel Association for direct marketing of hotel beds, without the direct intervention of the tour operators.
International seminars: The First International Seminar on Innovation in Tourism organised in Palma de Mallorca at the end of September 2004, was intended to be the first of a series of international events which would periodically bring together researchers, tourism, transport and services companies. About 260 people attended the seminar representing the different Balearic Hotelier Federations, travel agencies, airline companies, technological companies, chambers of commerce, etc.
Information systems: The project “Sit Menorca” was conceived to implement a Tourist Information System in the island of Menorca using the Internet and the WAP technology.
Master’s Programme: The principal objective of the Masters degree in tourism and environmental economics was to promote studies in the Tourism Economy and Environmental Economy fields, with particular emphasis on the interrelationships between these two areas.
Implementation of new technologies: The project endeavoured to measure the implementation and utilisation of information and communication technologies (ICT) by tourist accommodation companies, and to evaluate the impact that these have had on the tourism business of companies outside the large hotel chains. It studied the current level of ICT penetration in companies in the tourist accommodation sub-sector in two very representative areas of the Balearic Islands: Playa de Palma and La Bahía de Portmany (Ibiza). Both are tourism areas that have undergone a certain saturation and degradation over the last few decades and have an urgent need of modernisation of their facilities, products, and marketing channels.
The AVANTHOTEL activity aimed to facilitate on-line management and information of available beds in tourist accommodation establishments without employing intermediaries. The software used was Java. In addition, the tool offers each hotel the possibility of administering its own information and bed availability in real time. Using the BackOffice interface, the establishments can enter available beds, which are automatically published in the system. End users, using the Front Office interface (Internet website), can search for availability of rooms by geographical area or specific establishment and make a reservation.
Virtual city reconstruction: The objective of this pilot study “Virtual reconstruction of the Roman Palma” was to show the origin of the Roman city of Palma (its earliest location, the layout of its walls, its gates and its street plans) to the widest possible publics - teaching, cultural tourism and research. A DVD and a website were produced.
Training: Another action aimed to identify qualification needs in the tourism sector and to provide specialised training focussing on the new demands of the regional hotel activities.
Funding information
The Innovative Actions of the Balearic Islands INNOBAL XXI project was co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Balearic Government Fund and Hostelry Association Funds.
Outcomes
The aim of the project was to provide support to small and medium enterprises/hotels in the Balearic Islands, allowing an on-line management of available beds. At the moment more than 1,000 hotels are participating in the “Avanthotel” project.
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