TW
6

Sooner rather than later the Balearic government is going to have to make some tough economic decisions.

The Balearic tourist industry is in crisis; holiday bookings have quite naturally slumped and there is talk of some hotels not opening to June. If the hotel is not open you can safely say that the bar, restaurant or souvenir shop next door will be closed as well. Let's remember that the tourist industry employ tens of thousands of people.

The local ministry for tourism (and the rest of the world as well) hope that the coronavirus crisis will have eased by June which, fingers crossed, will allow things to remain to normal. But this is when the local government will have to act. The tourist tax should be scrapped for this summer even the terrace ban in Palma should be eased because this island is going to need all the help it can to attract holidaymakers.

Now, obviously this is the problem which is being faced by tourist resorts across the world but Majorca does rely on tourism and the prospect of fewer tourists coming this summer has got the alarm bells ringing. The government needs to be bold and realise that this is a nightmare situation which needs quick and effective action. The tourist tax, which will always be controversial, should be effectively scrapped for this year giving hoteliers some room to manourve on their pricing.

What Majorca doesn’t need is pointless legislation which was alright when the sun was shining but now...who knows.