DIFFICULT TIMES

By Jason Moore THE Balearics faces a rather uncertain 2010 with many economists saying that the pound sterling will still not have recovered against the euro as a result of doubts over the British economy and the political uncertainty. This is bad news for the Balearics because already holiday destinations outside the euro-zone such as Turkey and Egypt are proving exceptionally popular with British holidaymakers. Until the pound recovers from its lost value against the euro, I can´t see any major recovery in British tourism to the Balearics. Lets face it, these islands are no longer cheap and with tourists counting their pennies, there is a danger that the islands could price themselves out of the market. And it is not only the British. The Germans, who have not been hit by the fall in value of their currency, maintain that the islands are expensive. The Balearic government should be looking closely at price control because some of the bar and restaurant prices on the island are completely over the top. I have mentioned many times before in this space how expensive the islands have become. Now, is the time for some action because otherwise I can see holidaymakers going elsewhere and not coming back. 2010 is a real wake-up year for the islands.