YOUR LETTERS

THE recent letter from J&J Sheffield complaining about rising costs in general, and holidaying in Majorca in particular, deserves comments from someone living here nigh on 40 years, who also travels extensively to other parts of Europe.

Why anyone should think that Majorca should remain cheaper is a mystery to me. Here we experience the same rises in costs, fuel prices, etcetera, as anywhere else in Europe, and to maintain standards costs more each year. Airline surcharges and airport taxes apply to any destination abroad, and the rest of Europe can hardly be expected to reduce their prices because the Pound Sterling has weakened against the Euro. Rather, blame Mr. Brown and Co., and have your say at the next general election.

If the UK is now on a par or even cheaper than here, then why not join the reported 60 percent of Brits who are taking holidays at home this year?
When going on holiday, I have always felt that having enough to spend rather than scrimp and scrape to make ends meet, was essential to one's overall enjoyment. We hear of people who have a spending budget of 10 Euros per day, and one questions whether such holiday makers should not reduce the number of visits, from for instance, instead of 6 weeks p.a., 2 or 3, thus having more money to spend and enjoy on fewer visits. I do not think 10 Euros per day would even go very far in Bulgaria, Albania or wherever. But Majorca is a very special place, once named “The Pearl of the Mediterranean” and long may it remain so, even if it costs a few Euros more than the ordinary.

Graham Phillips, Palma de Majorca