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Dear Sir,

I AM a regular visitor to Majorca from Scotland and always recommend the island, particularly to people who have never been.
However, if Majorca's tourist industry is to flourish again, the island's local government needs to get its act together. Take for example the district of Calvia. I'm thinking of coming over to run in the Calvia Marathon on 13 December this year, yet when I look for information on the Calvia Council's website it says the run is on 14 December – wrong! It also gives a link for further information which in fact goes nowhere. It's a joke that officials are being paid to promote the island and they can't even get the information about their own region correct.

Bill McGowan
Scotland

Dear Sir,

YOUR “Viewpoint” on Palma hotels having the highest room rates, and there being possible less tourists/visitors, here due to this, is understandable in one way.

It is that top rated hotels, like Son Vida, Arabela, etc face the twin dilemma if reducing their prices substantially of a) filling the place with a mass of people who do not even pack a tie to wear at dinner b) with this influx of this type of tourist, bang goes the chance of the regular type of clientele the deluxe hotels attract who can pay 400 euros per night for a double room.

I personally saw this happen in the early 1970's when (in business) I went to London 6 to 8 times each year. Paid the normal rate, at the Britannia Hotel (Grosvenor Square) and being new and the “star” of the Grand Metropolitan Group, was perfect. Their restaurant gained fame, roast off the trolly was always a favourite coming from Majorca, and their steak diane was beyond compare.

Then, when checking in, (about a year/18 months after opening) there were about 50 Japanese checking in. Upon enquiring why the restaurant was not having such a good menu, was told, the hotel had to take on “package groups” to continue. Next time I visited London, I stayed elsewhere. This is not being snobbish, but a fact of life, and the whole of Majorca needs to have a long, hard think about where they want to be in 5 to 10 years time: catering (in the main) to the “cheaper” end of tourism, “all inclusive” etc, or keep attracting the people who fill 5 star hotels, use golf courses and keep yachts here?

Yours sincerely, Graham Phillips