In 1992, the Town Council proclaimed "Alcudia: Ecotouristic Municipality", showing the wishes to protect the environment, but having in mind that the tourism is the principal source wealth of this area. One of the interventions was the cration of a"Ecotouristic Distinctive" for the hotels establishments who were outstanding respect for the environment.The principal object of this iniciative is to stimulate the tourist industry to protect the surroundings, conceading a seal of serius environment quality and be recognized by all the sectors of the tourist trade. Before, the tourist entrepreneurs, they weren't very conscious about protecting the environment and the natural resources of the municipality, and they didn't know the possibility to apply an environment enquiry in the tourist establishments.

A very important point is the support of the principal European tour-operators in this iniciative, included the Alcudia environment information, in their sale catalogs.

With this practice we are obtaining very important results in the Alcudia environment conservation, like also advantage in the marketing; starting from small economics inversions.

Sustainability

In 1998 the "ecotourist distinctive"has been extended to the restoration establishments (bars, restaurants, coffeebars). Afterwards will be included other establishments with the complementary offer e.g. supermarkets, shops, etc. 

Nowadays, we are waiting to introduce the new packing and wrapping Law in the Balearic islands, this law will affect the current system of selective refuse and possibly will be necessary to modify some requirements of the regulations.The impact that the declaration of Alcudia asan "Ecotourist Municipality", has reflected also on the resident population, who are not part of the tourist sector.For example the selective refuse collection has a very high support from the local people. The Town Hall also encourages information campaigns through the local radio station, activity and environment courses in schools, conferences and ecology seminars. 

Transferability

The results from this important initiative, has been so important that theBalearic Government in making a programme called "Ecotur" (Programapara la Integración del Turismo y el Medio Ambiente) (The tourism &environment integration programme), which pretends to impulse the environment management systems in the tourist sector, to the level of the tourist destination and establishments which is based on the original experience of the Alcudia ecotourist distinctive. Another important point is the positive evaluation of the principal European tour-operators for the "eco touristic distinctive", who include environmental information in their sales catalogue. With these good practice we have achieve important results in the conservation of the countryside and the natural resources of Alcudia; besides having obtained advantage in marketing against other establishments without any preoccupation for the environment; with relatively small economic investments. Some of the said inversions realized, have had advantage to obtain some important economic savings. As in the case of the introduction of means of saving water and energy, which will also make easier the maintenance and durability, once installed. In most cases, these savings will enable us to improve other aspects of the environmental management which require a larger economic expense.This practice could and can be easily transferred to other tourist municipality adopting the requirements of the rules regulation of the real state of the zone.