World’s number one tennis player to promote islands

Mallorcan tennis ace Rafael Nadal has secured a six million euro agreement with the Tourism Ministry. The deal comes after months of negotiations and is aimed at boosting the islands’ sagging tourism numbers in the face of economic slowdown.

Speaking at a press conference alongside the young tennis star, tourism minister Miquel Nadal said “The best tennis player in the world will promote the best tourist destination in Europe.” The Tourism Ministry aims to achieve the same number of visitors in 2009 to Mallorca, Ibiza and Minorca as 2008.

Nadal’s first task was to record a television commercial, which he did atop a plateau in Son Castello. The commercial will be targeted at UK, German and Spanish tourists in 2009. Ibatur has reportedly already spent three million euros securing advertising slots on national networks for the ad.

Nadal will receive two million euros a year for the 2009, 2010 and 2011, whereupon the contract will expire. “I am proud to represent Balearics tourism, which is the economic engine of the islands,” he said. “I travel a lot and see a lot of places and that’s why I can confirm that you can do anything in these islands – except, perhaps, skiing.”