Will the last person to leave Majorca please turn the light off! The island does appear to be remarkably quiet as we enter into the Christmas countdown. In some ways it is quite a welcome relief after the long summer but there is no sign at the moment that we are heading towards an all year around holiday destination. One of the few resorts which has bucked the closing down trend is Arenal...but not this winter. There are only a handful of hotels open and even the McDonalds has closed for the winter. A sign of the times? Well yes. Now as we have published over recent weeks there is some good news on the horizon with more flights to Britain in the New Year but at the moment the resorts are just ghost towns, which is rather sad considering that we have enjoyed a fantastic spring. Even Palma looks rather quiet. The local authorities should be alarmed. Now, I know that some will say that hotels need to close so that urgent repairs can be carried out and staff can rest but at the same time it is a pity that attempts to lengthen the season have failed and thousands of people are without a job. A decade ago the resorts were busy at this time of the year and many hotels were open for Christmas; this year one British association had a nightmare to find a hotel which was open for them over the festive period. I suppose we should enjoy quiet Majorca after the busy summer but it does appear to be a case of an opportunity missed.
Closing down
27/11/2015 00:00
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4 comments
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A wonderful island being ruined by lack of thought and planning by those who should promote tourism. It suits the hotels to be open April to September then pull the plug. The staff only have to be paid for those 6 months, and then presumably go on the Spanish equivalent of social security or go on a long holiday. Once the hotels are shut the bars and shops and entertainment premises follow suit. A drive round areas that 15 years ago had excellent little areas of buzzing activity now shows a ghost-town mentality. I don't subscribe to the view that Mallorca has nothing to offer during winter. It offer plenty. But unless someone pulls out their finger and starts to regenerate, slowly, some winter tourism with a carefully prepared programme with one of two hotels kept open (The Santa Lucia in Son Matius/Palma Nova used to buzz over winter, now it's an empty monolith) then the decline will continue. PLEASE will someone in tourism start to do a proper job? The current situation is depressing.
I have just returned to the UK from Cala Millor, and I passed through SA Coma on the way. I could see only one Eroski open, as this is a larger hypermarket. Every single shop I passed appeared to be closed. In Cala Millor, I found a few shops open in the high street. The flight back to Gatwick was very nearly full, and there are a number of flights that are full. It shows there is a demand for flights to the island. Also, if promoted, I am sure there would be more winter tourists, coming to the Island, and make it worth while for shops to remain open. I actually find it more enjoyable to visit Majorca in the winter months, being quieter to see tourist landmarks, and less traffic on the roads.
I am heading out to Santa Ponca on Wednesday, flying from Gatwick and so looking forward to our 6 nights in the warm sunshine and getting some Christmas shopping done at the same time, first time we have been out in December for at least three years. Having to travel from the midlands to Gatwick to do so, but well worth it, can't wait!
You will be moaning about the summer as well when the tourist tax comes in