The Illes Balears stand at ITB Berlin, the world's largest and most important tourism fair, hosted the official presentation of the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels, which will be held from 27 March to 4 April in the bay of Palma.

Since its inception in 1966, ITB Berlin has established itself as the leading global tourism fair, an annual meeting place for the main players in the sector. This progression is similar to that of the Princess Sofia Trophy, which, since its first edition in 1968, has grown to become an absolute benchmark in the world Olympic sailing circuit. Both joined together today at the Illes Balears stand at ITB Berlin 2026, where the Sofia presented its 55th edition in the company of notable institutional representation.

The event was attended by the Minister of Tourism of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Jaume Bauzá; the Minister of Tourism of the Council of Mallorca, Guillem Ginard; the director of the Balearic Islands Tourism Strategy Agency (AETIB), Pere Joan Planas; the technical director of the Princess Sofia Trophy Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels, Ferran Muniesa; the Councillor for Culture and Tourism of the Llucmajor Town Council, Katina Rayó; the President of the Arenal Yacht Club, José Ramón Picó; and the founder and President of FERGUS Hotels, Pep Cañellas.

After highlighting the reasons which make the Sofia an unmissable event on the annual calendar for Olympic athletes, Muniesa highlighted the importance of the Sofia Trophy as a strategic tourism and economic project: "Every spring, thousands of sailors, coaches, technicians and support teams live and work on the island for several weeks, generating a significant economic impact. And they do so through a model of tourism that is respectful of and closely linked to the sea and our natural environment, values that are particularly relevant to a forum such as ITB Berlin".

With just one month to go before the 55th edition, the number of registrations confirms the universal appeal of the Sofía among the international Olympic sailing community: 845 teams from 56 countries have already announced that they will compete from 27 March to 4 April in the bay of Palma. ‘These are not mere statistics: each participant will return to their country as an ambassador for Mallorca,’ concluded the technical director of the event.

Institutional support
The presentation of the Sofía at the Illes Balears stand reflects solid institutional support which, as Muniesa explained, "allows the event to continue growing, innovating and improving year after year. Without it, it would be impossible to maintain the organisational standards and international prestige that the Sofía has achieved. Public support is, quite simply, one of the keys to its future.‘ He also highlighted the role of Mallorcan companies such as FERGUS Hotels, ’which adds value to this regatta and reflects a shared vision between sport and local business, based on a commitment to the region, sustainability and long-term development."

On behalf of the institutions present, Guillem Ginard explained: "The Sofía is an event that brings freshness and great value to the sporting and tourist scene on our island. It is a great attraction due to the number of people and boats it brings in, and because it contributes greatly to the deseasonalisation of tourism. It adds value based on nature and the values of effort, and we are therefore delighted to be able to contribute to its success".

The 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels is organised by Bahía Activa (the foundation formed by the Real Club Náutico de Palma, the Club Nàutic Arenal, the Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa and the Balearic Sailing Federation) and is supported by World Sailing. The event is co-financed by the Balearic Islands Government's Sustainable Tourism Tax fund and sponsored by the Mallorca Responsible Tourism Foundation

The 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels is part of the Sailing Grand Slam 2026 alongside the Semaine Olympique Française, Dutch Water Week, Kieler Woche and Long Beach & San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta.