What you need to know about Menorca...
… its economy
Unlike Majorca and Ibiza, Menorca’s tourism development came late (after 1975) and has been gradual since the 1980s, preserving as much of the island’s natural beauty and beaches as possible.
There is no industry as such, and the island lives mainly from tourism.
The island’s biggest industries are still semi-industrial, and include :
- Mahon cheese, made from cow’s milk and relatively mild;
- XORIGUER gin, flavoured with juniper berries, which is very fragrant and is mainly drunk with lemonade (the famous Pomada for those who know and love it!)
- costume jewellery;
- and, of course, avarca, the island’s flagship product.
Another important aspect of the island’s economy is its breed of horse: the Minorcan.
Despite its development, the island is still very wild. Building on the island is highly regulated, and in many places impossible. There are no national roads that allow you to get close to the coast, and only a few beaches have been ‘urbanised’, with bars, deckchair hire and parasols. The majority of the coastline is made up of an impressive number of unspoilt coves.
In 1993, Menorca was also recognised by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve, giving it even greater environmental protection.
