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Palma.—The Balearic Environemnt Ministry yesterday confirmed that the region has signed up to the SEEMORE project which was unveiled in Malta last year.

Seemore stands for Sustainable and Energy Efficient Mobility Options in Tourist Regions in Europe and will be introduced on the East and West coasts of Majorca.

According to the Environment Ministry, tourist regions face seasonal changes in transport demand and congestion because of high levels of car use and inefficient mobility can lead to decreasing attractiveness of a destination.

The Balearic government along with the other SEEMORE project partners are convinced they can increase the attractiveness of a destination by promoting the use of sustainable modes and by creating new mobility products.

The message of SEEMORE to tourists is: Travel Smart: See More! Enjoy the landscape
When you travel in public transport, on a bicycle or on foot you will have better possibilities to enjoy the landscape! And, the Balearic government has managed to convince the TIB - Majorcan Transport Consortium - to participate in the scheme this year.
The primary aim is going to be promote the use of public transport along the West Coast, between resorts stretching from Sant Elm to Magalluf and on the East coast, try to increase the number of toursist using public transport in the areas of Cala Millor, sa Coma and s'Illot.

Yesterday the Minister for Environment, Biel Company, presented the scheme to relevant local hotel federations, which he hopes will help promote the project, the Balearic Transport Federation and the small to medium sized business associations with the aim of gaining their full support and cooperation.

Company also expects the tourist information offices to collaborate in the project by providing public transport maps and time tables which will also be available in hotels and resorts shops.

SEEMORE has the following objectives: •Increase the awareness among visitors about sustainable mobility options in tourist regions. •Increase co-operation between the sectors of tourism and mobility, and creation of new and improved energy efficient mobility options for leisure travel in 8 coastal regions throughout Europe. • Shift of travel behaviour of visitors towards more sustainable modes. • Widely share and communicate the SEEMORE experiences and outcomes with other sectors in Europe.
EU funded
The Seemore project has been devised by Intelligent Energy – Europe (IEE) which offers a helping hand to organisations willing to improve energy sustainability.

Launched in 2003 by the European Commission, the programme is part of a broad push to create an energy-intelligent future for us all.
It supports EU energy efficiency and renewable energy policies, with a view to reaching the EU 2020 targets (20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions, 20% improvement in energy efficiency and 20% of renewables in EU energy consumption).

The three-year project budget amounts to 1.974'225 euros, 75% of which is co-financed by the European Commission.
Some of the other destinations participating in the scheme are Bohuslän (Sweden), Forlí-Cesena (Italy), Dobrich (Bulgaria), Pomerania (Poland), Madeira (Portugal), Limassol (Cyprus) and Malta (Malta).