A hotelier in the Balearics: "A significant salary increase is necessary"

The company has arrived in the region at a time when there is a huge debate about the model of tourism and when the hoteliers are locked in discussions with the unions about a new pay and working conditions deal. Locked means deadlocked; the two sides are miles apart.

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On these negotiations, he views them in the context of well-publicised staff shortages in the hotel and wider hospitality industry. "It's a very serious problem that affects all of Spain. Although it may hurt me because it will mean my costs will go up, I believe a significant salary increase is necessary to attract talent back into our sector. We have to accept our blame and make an effort for salaries to be in line with other sectors. We have to realise that people work in order to achieve well-being."

On all the discussion about overtourism and how to address it, he attributes the problem to the illegal supply of accommodation. In his opinion, this exists because of political neglect over several decades. "It's all been generated by poor political management. It will be fixed if the politicians want it to be. But so long as we don't even know how many people are staying in illegal accommodation, we will be far from solving the problem."

As well as clamping down on illegal supply, there should be no increase in legal accommodation places. This, he feels, is key to ensuring that the number of tourists does not continue to increase year after year. "Restrict beds and airlines won't schedule more seats to the Balearics."