The CLIA Spain column
By Alfredo Serrano
Managing Director CLIA Spain
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 78 – September 2026
A few weeks ago, the Balearic Islands Government launched a portal that regularly publishes cruise ship calls at the Port of Palma and annual reports on port activity. It might seem like just another website, but it's anything but.
This website – completely open – allows any citizen to obtain a true and accurate picture of the sector's activity in Palma and verify with official data that the agreement signed by the Balearic Government and the cruise companies in 2022, and renewed in February with the City Council's support, is being scrupulously fulfilled. Should there be any doubt about the agreed terms, the full text signed a few months ago is also available.
This exercise in proactive communication and transparency, I believe, benefits all parties, including residents: it moves us away from perceptions or beliefs that—in some cases—can lead to grandiloquent headlines or statements, and places us on rational ground, where the figures speak for themselves, can be verified, and allow us to draw our own conclusions.
And at a time when public discourse is heavily focused on sustainability, tourism and flow management, coexistence, etc., it is absolutely necessary to give a leading role to current scientific data and analysis; and I emphasize current, because we are all aware of how technology, for example, has evolved in recent years; a technology that provides us with new tools that can be excellent allies when facing challenges.
Data should guide destinations – those who know their territory best – to design strategies and action plans that result in measures that unite the needs and expectations of residents and visitors; measures that respond to mobility challenges, pressure at certain times or the use of public services, to name just a few examples; in short, initiatives that contribute to the well-being of citizens in a holistic sense.
Furthermore, this management is not a one-person job. The key lies in having a broad vision and committing to shared governance: in public-private collaboration, involving the different stakeholders that make up the ecosystem; in dialogue and a willingness to listen; in sharing experiences and know-how; in seeking formulas that maximize advantages and set aside preconceived notions or sterile debates, to focus on what is truly important.
At a time like this, when cities face a wide range of challenges, it is vital to understand that the best solutions always come from collaboration and a united effort; from analysis and rigor. Because, in the case of our sector, the focus should not be on how many ships arrive, but on their characteristics and when they dock; on the dynamics of tourism in the destination and on what measures we need to promote to foster a balanced coexistence that takes into account the various tourism segments. In short, on shared governance.
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