The Balearic Islands have taken a decisive step to move from theory to practice in circular economy applied to tourismThe Impulsa Balears Foundation has presented the archipelago's first circular economy hub, conceived as a tool to accelerate the transformation of the islands' economic and tourism model.
This new space, called reN·Balear Circular HubThe plan was presented at the first ordinary meeting of the Board of Trustees in 2026, held at the HBX Group headquarters in Palma and chaired by the President of the Balearic Government and of the Foundation, Marga Prohens. The meeting marked the beginning of a new phase for Impulsa Balears, with the aim of gaining real influence in the strategic decisions that will shape the archipelago's economic future.
A hub to organize, connect and activate the circular transition
The reN·Balear Circular Hub was created with an eminently practical function: to organize the existing information, connect scattered initiatives and to facilitate the implementation of real projects linked to the circular economy. The idea is for it to cease being an abstract concept and become something operational for companies, government agencies, and stakeholders in the tourism sector.
Impulsa Balears had already previously defined a transit roadmap towards a circular tourism system on the horizon 2025-2035The new hub is now positioned as a key element in deploying this strategy, serving as a meeting point between companies, public administrations, knowledge centers and other stakeholders.
According to the Foundation, the hub aims to create an environment capable of highlight opportunitiesThe aim is to identify synergies and strengthen the conditions necessary to launch transformative projects. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that the circular economy transition doesn't remain merely a matter of documents and plans, but translates into concrete changes in the islands' main economic engine.
From the technical direction of Impulsa Balears, Antoni Riera summarized the hub's function as a step to "make better use of what has already been built" and, at the same time, expand capabilities. The goal is for the Foundation to act as a active intermediary or “broker” of the transformation, capable of articulating agreements and supporting processes that require a comprehensive vision and medium and long-term stability.
Impulsa Balears reinforces its strategic role in the archipelago
The presentation of the Balearic Islands' first circular economy hub took place during the first meeting of the 2026 Board of Trustees, held at the HBX Group headquarters in Palma. This meeting served to mark the beginning of a Impulsa Balears' new strategic phase, more focused on direct influence on decision-making, both in the public and private spheres.
During the session, the president of the Government and of the Foundation, Marga Prohens, stressed the “need to revitalize the founding project” to strengthen its impact on decision-making processes which will affect the islands' economic future. The message is clear: the Balearic Islands want to move beyond a phase focused on reflection and diagnosis and enter a stage where implementation takes precedence.
The meeting opened with remarks from HBX Group CEO Nicolas Huss, who reaffirmed the company's commitment to the Foundation. Huss emphasized that Impulsa Balears contributes to to better understand the complexity of tourism and the territory at a time when the archipelago requires "more vision, more cooperation and more ability to anticipate" to adapt to the structural changes in the sector.
The Foundation itself has emphasized that this new phase involves consolidating Impulsa Balears as institutional asset of reference in service of the strategic reformulation of the archipelago. It is not only about generating knowledge, but also about articulating it and turning it into a lever for effective transformation.
reN·Balear Circular Hub: connection and knowledge infrastructure
In this context, the Board of Trustees has highlighted the reN·Balear Circular Hub as one of the main expressions of the new phase which the Foundation opens. The hub is conceived as an infrastructure to connect actors, knowledge and capabilities around the circular economy, with a special focus on the tourism system.
Its mission is to give continuity and use to knowledge generated by Impulsa Balears In recent years, progress has been made in the field of circular economy, broadening its reach and facilitating its application to more stakeholders. The goal is to prevent studies and analyses from simply gathering dust and instead ensure they translate into projects, investments, and changes in how we produce and consume.
Among the specific functions that have been defined for the hub, the following stand out: the organization of relevant information, the identification of emerging opportunitiesThis involves connecting existing initiatives and strengthening the conditions necessary for transformative projects to emerge and grow. All of this is aimed at transitioning to a more circular tourism and economic model.
Riera has argued that the hub will strengthen Impulsa Balears' role as a "broker" of a transformation that, by its nature, requires persistence and shared governance between the public and private sectors. This proposes a model in which decisions do not depend solely on an isolated actor, but on a network of sustained collaboration over time.
Public-private collaboration and alignment with Europe
The Board meeting also served to review the progress of the Main lines of work of the Foundation and to reaffirm its members' commitment to continued public-private cooperation. This collaboration is considered key to driving structural changes in the Balearic economy within a context of increasing complexity.
With the launch of the first circular economy hub, the Balearic Islands join the path of other European regions that have already created specific infrastructures to guide and support their transition processes towards circular models. The intention is not only to comply with the environmental and regulatory requirements of the European Union, but also to advance competitiveness in a market that is increasingly demanding in terms of sustainability.
The movement places the archipelago on the map of territories that are trying to to lead the circular transition in the tourism sectorThis sector is particularly vulnerable to climate change, resource depletion, and evolving international demand. The hub thus becomes a tool for anticipating trends and adapting the Balearic model to a more volatile environment.
During the meeting, the Board of Trustees reaffirmed its commitment to continue promoting initiatives with high strategic value, relying on the cooperation between administrations, companies and social partnersIn parallel, the progress of ongoing projects was reviewed and a work agenda aimed at strengthening the archipelago's economic resilience was consolidated.
The aim of this set of initiatives is to move the circular economy from a distant concept to a natural integration into business planning, public policies, and investment decisions, including in the Balearic Islands. aligned with European sustainability goals.
The launch of the reN·Balear Circular Hub is interpreted as a turning point for the Impulsa Balears Foundation and for the autonomous community itself: a new phase is beginning in which the accumulated strategy will be translated into tangible projects, with a more connected network of actors, more shared governance and a clear orientation towards a more circular, competitive and resilient tourism and economic model.
