The Formentera Office of Commerce is pleased to report that Sunday 1 May, art and craft markets on the island will begin opening for the 2022 season. Activity begins in the markets of La Mola, Sant Francesc and Es Pujols on 1 May; the market in La Savina opens 16 May and the craft and art markets of Sant Ferran starts 28 May.

Ana Juan, President and Councillor of Commerce, hailed the return to normal and lifting of capacity restrictions at the markets in 2022, something she described as "good news for Formentera artisans, one of the many communities that needs for things to get back to normal; for islanders, who enjoy the markets too; and for tourists, who appreciate the markets as part of what makes Formentera unique".

For two years, COVID-19 restrictions prevented the normal functioning of the markets and the Consell de Formentera subsidised one hundred per cent of the fees that vendors pay to conduct business on public land under municipal jurisdiction.

Hours will be the same as before the pandemic:

Mercat artesà de la Mola. Wednesdays and Sundays, 4.30pm to 10.00pm. From 1 May to 12 October.
Mercat de Sant Francesc. Monday to Sunday, 10.00am to 2.00pm. From 1 May to 30 October.
Mercat de la Savina. Monday to Sunday, 11.00am to 2.00pm and 5.00pm to 12 midnight. From 16 May to 30 September.
Mercat des Pujols. Monday to Sunday, 7.00pm to midnight. From 1 May to 30 October.
Mercat artístic i artesà de Sant Ferran. Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8.00pm to 12 midnight. From 28 May to 1 October.
Second-Hand Market of Sant Francesc. Tuesdays and Saturdays, from 11.00am to 2.00pm. Year round.

26 April 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Tourism is pleased to present this year's "Discover Formentera in May" campaign, in which the Consell co-organises events and activities for visitors who also receive big discounts on ferry tickets, car rentals and accommodation as well as other low-season perks.

"May is an ideal time to come to spend a few days on Formentera," explained Alejandra Ferrer, Vice-President and Councillor of Tourism, "and if we add to this all the advantages in place at the start of the season, we hope that many people can join and enjoy this campaign".

Jam-packed bill of activities and discounts

From Formentera Astronòmica and Formentera 20 to Formentera Fotogràfica, cultural activities during the month of May abound. Sports-wise, the Marnathon and Half Marathon are just two of the events which tourists and islanders can enjoy. Moreover, three ferry companies are offering a 25% discount on ticket prices and sixteen participating lodgings will apply discounts of up to 20% on room rates or bonuses such as free breakfasts. A car rental and a diving company are offering discounts on their prices this May as well. For more information, visit this section of the Formentera tourism website.

Gastronomic Weekends

From 29 April to 1 May and 6 to 8 May (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), Formentera welcomes Gastronomic Weekends, a tasting initiative in which eight hometown restaurants serve up gastronomic meals at a set price of €25 (drinks not included).

The meals are designed especially for the occasion, with some restaurants offering traditional fare and others deploying creative vision and delivering updated takes on standard classics. Complete details are available here.

26 April 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

Yesterday the Formentera Office of Commerce presented the commerce fortification plan, which President Ana Juan described to roughly thirty local business representatives gathered in the Consell de Formentera auditorium as "a plan to preserve, invigorate and enrich the commercial fabric of Formentera by fortifying local business".

The president was joined at the presentation by Oriol Cesena, a representative of Focalizza, the consulting firm that developed the plan and which specialises in creating and developing tools that help grow commercial activity. The plan's preparation and development was part of a commitment made by cabinet councillors and endorsed at the debate on the state of Formentera, said President Juan. "It also reflects the concerns and suggestions of Formentera businesses". For Juan, "our driving purpose is to maintain and enhance the essence of Formentera's commerce and public and private collaboration is essential to making that happen".

Mr Cesena explained that the plan is structured along 4 strategic lines, 11 targeted programmes and 39 actions to be developed in the years ahead. "The programmes derived from these overarching lines must be sufficiently concrete to be operational, but they must also be flexible enough that they can be revised and adapted to the possible dynamics of commercial transformation on the island", he said.

Strategic priorities

The following strategic lines of action are proposed: promote the planning of commercial activity, with specific programmes to recover the sector's image and prestige in Formentera towns; boost Formentera businesses' competetiveness and the local economic fabric by promoting local commerce and delivering services linked to tourism and strategies that help position the local product as a key piece of the productive sector; to preserve the buy-local model while generating new economic activities on the island; to generate prestige in the existing economic fabric year round, and finally, to promote and regulate the business sector. "Promoting and bringing visibility to local business means communication and promotional campaigns, but it also includes a wide range of steps to involve islanders in buying local, and we need a communications approach to attracting different segments of consumers", said Cesena.

22 April 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

Formentera has developed a Tourism Communication Strategy to draw attention to local attractions and events and draw Spanish travellers to the island. An important part of the strategy are six planned roadshows catering to the source markets in Spain with leading air and sea connections. The first phase took place in April, with presentations this week in Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid for major media (press, radio, television and internet) and local travel agents. These presentations enjoyed the enthusiastic attendance of nearly seventy journalists and over forty travel agents.

Alejandra Ferrer, Formentera's Vice-President and Councillor of Tourism, and Carlos Bernús, Chief of Tourism Promotion, have been describing the draws and strengths of a destination which, amid two years of pandemic impasse, has become increasingly popular among Spanish travellers keen on safety and proximity. In addition, Ferrer and Bernús got chance to conduct interviews with national media representatives in each city to reinforce the impact of these events. "Formentera has shown its strong commitment to sustainability, presenting the Save Posidonia Project, formentera.eco and other initiatives that are currently underway", relayed Ferrer, who underscored "nature, cultural and sports activities driven by protection of the local surroundings and identity".

Other focal points include the island's eco-gastronomy, where local products are paired with local wines, and of course, the hotel industry, which encompasses a diverse array of accommodations across a range of prices.

Vice-President Ferrer drew attention to "the multitude of low-season events that make Formentera more than just a summer destination, like 'Formetera20', 'Formentera Astronòmica', 'Formentera Fotogràfica', 'Formentera Zen' and others. All of these are included in 'Discover Formentera'", which she described as "a way to visit a privileged setting with the added value of the most varied, quality events and the chance to relish a tranquil getaway at the best price".

In May, the second phase of this promotional roadshow will include three other important markets: Malaga (9), Sevilla (10) and Bilbao (18).

21 April 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera