We paraphrase Baltasar Gracián’s maxim to sing that ‘what is good, if sustainable, is twice as good’. In this way, we capture the essence of the new Law for Circularity and Sustainability in Tourism of the Balearic Islands when it focuses on administrative modernization and simplification and, specifically, when it refers to the classification of hotels.
A reform that wants – a spirit that should extend beyond this law – to review what is useless, superfluous or obsolete in a context of environmental urgency like the current one. And the stars, as they were conceived, are one of the tourist elements challenged by this reform.
The implementation of this new law that will allow the Balearic Islands to lead the tourism transformation adapts the quality and service standards to the challenges and demands of the 21st century and sustainability is the most imperative. The objective is none other than to modernize and make tourism even more attractive and profitable, a sector in which the islands have always been pioneers, and of which they want to be a mirror in which others can look -and encourage-, now combining aspects innovations related to the environment and circularity.
In general, the criteria are updated to achieve a more competitive hotel sector, which is clearly committed to the quality of service and not to the number of overnight stays. Specifically, we can highlight that the standards of the lowest categories are increased, with the intention of raising the minimum quality, and the requirements are modernized (the criteria related to televisions in the rooms now include, for example, the requirement of that have access to digital content and the availability of wireless speakers in the rooms will be valued). But there is much more.
For decades it was a point in favor -although perhaps now we forget that talking on the telephone without cables was unthinkable until not much more than two decades ago-. Being able to talk from the bathroom and not just a meter away from the bedside table was something contemplated in the hotel qualification criteria. Today, having a phone in the bathroom is neither necessary nor sustainable. It is an example of a radically obsolete criterion and it is not the only one that jumps from the list in the new law for the star rating in which the criteria are simplified, eliminating, along with the additional telephone in the bathroom, the stool in the bathroom, the alarm clock in the room or the fax service at the reception.
Those criteria that are more subjective or difficult to assess are also eliminated, such as a harmonious atmosphere in the hotel (light, smell, music, color, etc.) or common elements based on their state of conservation and age. Goodbye to everything that is useless and welcome to all those criteria that do define that a hotel establishment or facility is sustainable, in line with the main axes and objectives of the law. The objective is none other than to achieve a more environmentally and socially sustainable hotel park. Circular, in short. Another more related example that illustrates this objective: those criteria related to offering information of interest about the environment to visitors have to go through a digitization process, eliminating the role of hotels.
In this context of review adjusted to the needs -and emergencies- imposed by climate change, water becomes a key element to qualify and classify hotel establishments based on their sustainability. In this way, if a hotel uses treated gray water and species with low water consumption in its garden, it will receive more points in its rating.
Hotels that, as a boost to sustainable mobility, offer electric charging points for vehicles and bicycles, and rent electric vehicles, are also rewarded. Also those that use solar energy for outdoor lighting. On the other hand, water-saving devices and double-flush toilet systems are mandatory in all categories, and garden irrigation at night with underground drip also receives more points in the rating. Some services that have also increased their score, which allows establishments to obtain a better category, are the menu with organic products, the sale of local products from the Balearic Islands, the nautical facilities and the offer of subcontracted tourist activities (when before they had to be their own).
Circularity is not the end, but the path, so the law is clear in terms of offenses and sanctions. In the first place, it is considered an administrative infraction in the field of tourism, the breach of the obligation to have the Circularity Plan and to carry out the annual evaluations established by the new law.
The fact of not having all the documentation accrediting the preparation of the Circularity Plan or having a Circularity Plan or periodic evaluations whose content does not comply with the established requirements will also be penalized. Specifically, he will be sanctioned with a fine of 100,000 euros. It will also punish, among other offenses contemplated by law, breaching the obligation to eliminate thermal installations that work with fuel or diesel, replacing them with others that use energy sources that reduce the environmental impact, except for duly accredited technical impossibility. All with one objective, that circularity be integrated as a transversal instrument, not just as something to which a few can aspire.
