The Canary Islands' Government has struck up a pact with the Balearics to fight for future prosperity.

The two communities, which together account for 50% of Spain’s tourism, say they share the “same DNA, the same blood”, have the same problems and share the same language.

The likes of Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera will now have a permanent dialogue with Tenerife and the six other Canary islands

Rather than be rivals, they will present a united front to the Spanish Government to win help and concessions, such as the continuation of bonus airport rates.

Canary president Paulino Rivero said this was the first priority and the question mark over whether the concessions would continue in 2012 had to be lifted to give operators peace of mind. He said it was very clear that the concession had helped the archipelago to close 2011 with record tourism numbers and to be more competitive than other holiday destinations. However, he stressed that the Canaries did not want to be dependent on the misfortunes of locations such as Egypt and Tunisia but to make its own success and become self-sufficient.

His words have been echoed by Balearic president José Ramón Bauzá who called an agreement on airport rates as “a matter of common-sense.”

Both island groups also want more involvement in the running of local airports and more freedom for aircraft to use them as stopping-off points, not just as destinations. They also want reduced shipping rates to be financed entirely by the State and have called for a rolling pro-gramme of refurbishments and up-grading of out-of-date tourism areas. Sr. Rivero, who said this would create mass jobs in construction, also called for favourable loans and tax incentives.

Ashotel, the hoteliers’ association, has welcomed the pact but warned suggestions must not fall on deaf ears.