Balearic Islands Aim to Become the Silicon Valley of Tourism and Technologya
- Prestige Spain
- Jun 13
- 2 min read
Prestige Spain Real Estate attended the event "Balearic Islands, an Economy in Transformation", organized by Diario de Mallorca. The conference brought together prominent figures from the business and political landscape of the Balearic Islands to discuss how technology, innovation, and tourism will play a key role in transforming the region's economy.
Tourism and innovation: driving forces of change
The session opened with institutional greetings from Alejandro Sáenz de San Pedro, Minister of Enterprise, Employment, and Energy of the Balearic Government, who reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to digitalization and improving productivity.
One of the event’s highlights was the keynote by Christian Boutin, Managing Director of Amadeus Spain and Portugal, moderated by journalist Martí Saballs. Boutin explained how travel is changing thanks to technology: artificial intelligence, biometrics, cloud-based solutions, and virtual reality are revolutionizing the travel experience. For instance, travellers can now preview cruise cabins in 3D before booking or plan trips collaboratively via Microsoft Teams.
Among the most in-demand Spanish cities, Palma ranks alongside Madrid, Barcelona, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Experts and tech companies lead the conversation
The expert panel titled “Balearic Islands, an Economy in Transformation”, moderated by Martí Saballs, featured:
Antonio Aloy
Marga Martínez
Juan Mateos Tejedor
They all stressed the need to diversify the regional economy beyond tourism. Key challenges include insularity, limited tech infrastructure, and the need to attract skilled talent.
Success stories such as Juniper, which has invested €1.3 billion in R&D, GladToLink, and Nagarro (which entered the Balearic market by acquiring local firm APSL) were highlighted as examples of how technology-driven growth is possible from the islands.
Marga Prohens: “We must improve productivity and diversify our economy”
Balearic Islands President Marga Prohens concluded the event with a clear message: “In just half a century, the Balearic Islands have gone from a subsistence economy to a tourism powerhouse. Now, tourism must become the platform for boosting R&D and making us a global tech leader.”
Prohens announced new initiatives:
Expansion of Parc Bit in Palma, which hosts 170+ companies and 3,000 employees.
€6 million investment in Centre Bit Menorca.
Opening of Parc Bit Ibiza in 2025.
Launch of the region’s first satellite, “Posidònia”, in February 2026 to monitor climate change.
She also emphasized strengthening IB Digital, the Balearic Digitalization, Cybersecurity, and Telecommunications Agency, and forging partnerships with hubs like Málaga TechPark to enhance Parc Bit’s international appeal.
A future beyond tourism
The Balearic Islands have a unique opportunity: to lead a new era of innovation, technology, and talent. Becoming the “Silicon Valley of Travel Tech” is no longer a dream—it is a realistic goal with strategic collaboration between government, private sector, and society.
✔ At Prestige Spain Real Estate, we proudly support initiatives that drive economic development and digital transformation in the Balearic Islands. We believe in a stronger, more sustainable economy—ready for the future.
Find out more at: www.PrestigeSpain.com
Prestige Spain Real Estate
C/ des Licorers 2B. 07141 Marratxi. Mallorca
Phone: +34 656 97 27 19 / E-Mail: info@prestigespain.com
