The Balearic Islands Government and Palma City Council have reached a strategic agreement with the main cruise lines operating in Palma. Valid for five years (2027–2031), it aims to consolidate a long-term governance plan focused on promoting sustainable tourism.
The new framework—voluntarily signed by a total of 20 shipping companies—builds upon the previous agreement and reinforces a responsible tourism model that addresses the realities of the region. The document emphasizes shared responsibility for the management and more balanced distribution of tourist flows, while also promoting environmental sustainability, communication, and transparency.
Among the main new features of the agreement is the incorporation of the Palma City Council as a signatory authority, allowing Cort to participate directly in the management of cruise ship tourist flows in the city and help to guarantee an optimal experience for both citizens and tourists.
In the words of the President of the Balearic Government, Margalida Prohens, "This new agreement reaffirms our firm commitment to a responsible and high-quality tourism model that addresses the realities of our territory. With the signing of this memorandum, our objective is clear: to achieve a moderation that flattens the peak activity periods of the high season and shifts them towards the mid and low seasons to guarantee the best possible coexistence between residents and tourists, always prioritizing environmental sustainability, transparency, and genuine deseasonalization that adds value to our islands throughout the year.".
The mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, has stated that "in line with the content of the agreement, the City Council has been working throughout the legislature on a roadmap that includes the adoption of measures aimed at containment, intelligent management of flows that guarantee coexistence between residents and tourists, and the sustainability of the destination, issues that can only be addressed through inter-institutional cooperation and the co-responsibility of the sector.".
Main measures
The agreement has been formalized again through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that has yielded positive results in recent years and has been strictly adhered to by the companies. Thus, the new agreement maintains the maximum of three cruise ships in the port of Palma, one of which may have a capacity exceeding 5,000 lower berths.
Deseasonalization and flow management
Regarding seasonality reduction and flow management, the text includes the following measures:
- The creation of a joint governance commission chaired by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports of the Government of the Balearic Islands, which will meet at least twice a year. It will be composed of representatives of the signatory parties, as well as the local cruise ecosystem, including, where appropriate, destination management bodies and other relevant public or private stakeholders.
- Promoting the geographical redistribution of cruise ship tourists in Mallorca. To this end, the organizations will commission an independent study on their geospatial behavior—thus optimizing mobility flows on the island—and will work on identifying and promoting alternative destinations.
- Progress in reducing the seasonality of the destination: the agreement includes a new criterion for the high season (from June to September) in the years 2027, 2028 and 2029. Thus, during these months the daily average in weekly calculation will go from 8,500 to 7,500 low beds per day.
Environmental sustainability
The text also reinforces the cruise sector's commitment to implementing good environmental practices:
- Drought emergency. In the event that a state of drought emergency is formally declared in Palma, companies will not supply fresh water to the port.
- Energy transition. Priority will be given to docking zero-emission vessels or those powered by transition fuels (LNG, methanol or hydrogen), as well as those with shore power connection capabilities.
- Waste management. Companies will continue to monitor waste generation and work to reduce it, in accordance with the targets they have publicly set in this area.
- Posidonia. Shipping companies reiterate their commitment to maintaining the navigation routes set by the competent authorities in order to protect the Posidonia seagrass meadows.
Communication and transparency
In order to promote communication and transparency, detailed monthly reports of the scales reached and an annual assessment of the progress achieved under this new collaboration framework will be published.
The shipping companies signing the agreement are Aida Cruises, TUI, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Marella Cruises, Costa Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea Cruises, P & O Cruises, Cunard, Explora Journeys, Hapag-Lloyd, Holland America Line, Mein Schiff, Carnival Cruise Line, Seabourn, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
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