In the context of the debate about the need for a 'new tourism model', a good friend, in an opinion article, asked a few days ago 'what Mallorca do we want to explain to the world?' and then questioned whether we should continue promoting sun and beach tourism or if we should focus tourist promotion 'also on the landscape, culture, gastronomy, local produce, heritage, innovation, talent, and a Mediterranean way of life'. Personally, to be able to accept the proposal, I find the adverb 'also' superfluous and I need to know if the visitors we want to encourage to come and enjoy our 'local produce' will drive up prices and, as a consequence, raise the economic bar required to go to the restaurants we've been going to all our lives, in other words, if they will gentrify us. If that's the case, I say it now, I'd rather stick with 'traditional' mass tourism.

Pedro Oliver, president of the Official Association of Tourist Guides of the Balearic Islands, has extensive knowledge of both the public and private sectors in his field. He studied Tourism at the University of Brighton (England). He began his professional career at Ultramar Express, the former inbound travel agency of TUI. Later, he joined the Palma City Council to head the Municipal Tourism Institute before moving to the private sector and, finally, working as a self-employed tourist guide. An associate professor at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) and Felipe Moreno University, he specializes in corporate and sustainable events.