Dear Sir,

Bar owners have been asking where all the families have gone that used to rent apartments and villas and give them their biggest trade. Palma Airport, seeing falling numbers of tourists, offers to cut Winter landing fees. The airlines respond by saying with hotels closed and holiday lettings illegal, where precisely are these mythical tourists going to stay? Less flights are more likely, than more, I suggest.

With great irony, the latest Majorca Edition of a free European newspaper had a Book of the Week! “Holiday Lettings-How to get started”. The Majorcan Chapter must have been rather short! Will the Ministry of Tourism learn anything from this year's experience? Their whole emphasis in the last two years has been on Supply. If you don't like what we offer, then please don't come.

Unless, and until, they realize tourism is DEMAND-led and driven, nothing will change. Offer what tourists want and they will come in droves. Replace the insistence and focus on all inclusives with holiday lettings and bingo! There is a place for every type of holiday on the island. To try to prevent about 40% of all tourists from coming on short term holiday lets is criminal. Whilst it is sad that at this time hotels are losing trade they are in a completely different market sector, and this years figures prove they are in different markets.

I doubt anything will change, but we can but hope! Richard Taylor
Calvia