31/01/2013 00:00
TW
0
By Staff Reporter MINORCA-based companies who rely on the British for most of their trade have come up with a novel way of beating the recession; they have formed their own association.

ABC Menorca (Association of British Companies Minorca) will be launched this week aiming to work together in these difficult economic times. But this is not a normal association, it will be a fully paid-up member of the Balearic Business Confederation (CAEB).

Colin Guanaria, one of the founders of the association, told the Bulletin that they hope that ABC Menorca could end.-up representing hundreds of companies in Minorca. He said that by working together they hope to weather the economic storm. “It is not only for British-owned businesses, it is for anyone who has British clients,” he said. “We will have a common voice,” he said.
The majority of the companies which have joined so far are involved in the real estate and nautical industries but it will also be open to the thousands of bars and restaurants and other companies which rely on British trade.

The lion´s share of tourism to Minorca is British and over recent years the island has been hit by a decline in visitors and the drop in the value of the pound which has naturally hit the real estate market.

The Minorcan authorities are working closely with the tourism authorities to try and relaunch the industry and attract more British tourists. Out of all three islands (Minorca, Majorca and Ibiza) Minorca has been hit the hardest by the decline in visitor numbers, especially from Britain and mainland Spain.

ABC Menorca aims to work closely with other business associations and the Council of Minorca.
The Confederation of Balearic Business Associations has welcomed the new initiative.
But ABC Menorca will not only be restricting its activities to Minorca it also wants to work closely with other associations across the Balearics.
Colin Guanaria said that they would also be looking to work closely with businesses with British clients in Majorca. “I own a real estate company and we are actively looking for partner agents to work with on Majorca,” he said.
The launch will take place this Friday at the CAEB on the Mahon industrial estate.