I've been doing a lot of thinking about Menorca over the past few days. As president of ABC Menorca, an association of English-speaking businesses and individuals working on the island, I was sent a questionnaire by a consultancy, for a project to define Menorca's 'strategic identity'. It sounds like a very glamorous concept, putting what Menorca means to me, to us, into words – packing away the island's characteristics into a neat little box – but of course, that's no simple task.
The questionnaire covers various aspects of the island's tourist industry, asking for opinions about what advantages (and disadvantages) Menorca has as a tourist destination, how Menorca is perceived and what changes are needed. Once collated, the information will – presumably – be presented together with a proposal as to what Menorca's 'brand' should be. The simple error (one that even Spaniards commit) of confusing Menorca with Mallorca is just one example of how Menorca lacks its own identity. Until we know what Menorca 'is' or what we want it to be, how can we go about 'selling' this product?
I've said before that it is far too easy to sit back, and complain about what doesn't work on the island – it could be a lack of flights, overpriced tourist products, or sloppy service – then sighing and getting on with whatever you were doing. But just sitting back isn't going to achieve very much. If our economy is driven by tourism, then Menorca needs to combine its efforts to attract tourists. It's not just about having five star hotels or sleek leisure ports, even the little things like a shopkeeper's 'buenos dias' or a litter-free street help push Menorca up the quality rankings.
Most of ABC Menorca's members work directly in the tourist industry; the remainder benefit from tourism indirectly, which is why as an association, we are committed to synergy between public and private sectors. Like it or not, we need to work together, not against each other, if we are going to revitalise the tourist industry.
Tourism is going to be on the agenda at the next ABC Menorca event, at 1700 hrs. on Thursday 2nd December at CAEB's offices in Maó's industrial estate. We have invited representatives from Menorca's PP political party to talk to us about their proposals for the island in what is the first of a series of meetings with local politicians. As Britons, we have an advantage: we are 'outsiders', many of us were tourists ourselves before we became residents, but we are insiders too. At ABC, we want to put this dual identity to good use, as Menorca strives to define its own, unique image.
For more information on ABC Menorca contact Wendy Mitchell (607 916 005) or Nicki Millan (619 574 679).
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