The Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce created in 1992 the Tourist Excellence Plans with the aim of improving conditions in Spanish tourist destinations, with particular attention to "sun and beach" destinations. Because of the success of the project it was continued and its use was extended to different kinds of tourist destination.

The general concept that defines the Plan is based on the idea of "Tourist Excellence". This idea is applied to processes of development and value enhancement of an area with a great tourist potential. Depending on the cities in which they are used the plans can run for three or four years.

One of Ibiza 's City Council main goals is to make demand less seasonal and bearing quality in mind, expand, diversify and promote Eivissa/Ibiza a World Heritage Site, as declared in 1999 by UNESCO.

Ibiza's four year Plan for Tourist Excellence is aimed to the completion of several projects and improvements, at the initiative of the City Council, having all in them accessibility as a key factor, such as: improve the urban environments of the City, create new products (seminars, congresses, exhibitions.) and managing the tourism industry in the city (municipal tourist information, training courses for the tourist board staff. and creation of the Tourist Observatory). Accessibility is thought of, by the Ibiza City Council, as a basic principle to be applied to all the city's tourist attractions and their aim is to turn into an accessible city both for residents and visitors. Accessibility related not only to the physical environment but to communication and information means.

Conferences and seminars have been organized, paying special attention to Accessible Tourism by means of specific round-tables and conferences.

Braille printed materials have already been published concerning Dalt Vila and it's available in the City Tourist Offices (in four languages: Catalan, Spanish, English and German) the tourism website has been improved and is now accessible for people with visual impairments. Accessibility upgrading works are planned to be carried out in the Talamanca area along the present year and accessible facilities in new buses will be provided.

Excellence in Tourism goes further than featuring designed for all premises: an intended high quality tourist service should be able to offer services that meet requests, needs and expectations of one and every customer; something which scarcely happens when it comes to clients with mobility and/or communication impairments. Ibiza 's City Council goal is to offer quality and excellence in all of the aspects that define a tourist destination: a World Heritage Site to be enjoyed by all.

Pla d'Excel·lència Turística d'Eivissa
Ajuntament d'Eivissa
C/ Major 2 (Dalt Vila)
07800 Eivissa/Ibiza
Illes Balears
Tel: 971 390 430
Fax: 971 301 477
observatoritc@eivissa.org
plaexcelencia@eivissa.org
www.eivissa.org

 

Rebecca Arce