Palma10/05/2018 00:00
The poor start to the summer season has probably meant that the island can’t look forward to the record summer season which had been promised just a few months ago. Local businesses are complaining about a major fall in profits because of the shortage of visitors. This is probably as a result of the rather unseasonal weather at Easter and now also this month.
8 comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
I am writing about the doubling of the tourist tax for summer visitors. I visited the island last year and payed the "tourist tax" so booked for a 2 week stay for 2018 which commences on the 24th may, the money my wife and I have to pay on our arrival is unacceptable, the cost of holidays have spiralled and now this is an added extra that I really cannot afford this will reflect on the money I spend in the surrounding restaurants bars shops and markets etc. So local businesses will be affected by this. You will still have your tourists this year as many did not know about the extra cost, but next year will be a different story as lots will be going elsewhere me included which is unfortunate sounds like you are trying to get rid of tourists. I think it is a bit greedy to double the tax during the summer months if it was per room instead of per person it would be a bit fairer. I will enjoy my holiday as this will be my last to the islands pay enough taxes in my own country without sustaining another.
2019 & 2020 will be very difficult seasons for many business owners. Hoteliers have in the past 10 years have improved their hotels offerings to attain a higher star branding, but that has put them in a higher bracket.A four star in Magaluf is not the same as a luxury 4 star elsewhere on the island. However, the visitor will pay the same per night tax. Mallorca has the old resorts with the old poorly built hotel construction of the 1970s. Tiny rooms, poor sound insulation.With the stopping of Air BnB - we are not offering enough high class apartment rental accommodation. Many persons today HATE hotels and like the independence of having their own kitchens and lounges to relax in.Greed, Corruption and lining the pockets of many in fruitless developments and investments. History is only repeating itself. Lets hope the world economic crash does not coincide again in 2020 - as it would then been an exact replica of the 2007 tourist tax and then the economic crash.
There's no point insulting and taxing the tourists creating your wealth and then expect them to keep turning up - are you stupid?
There is an anti tourist stance. Also, many expats or should I say immigrants - we British are all immigrants. complain along this vein also. But they forget their favourite bar and destination have the atmosphere because their friends whom are working in a business because of tourism help to create that atmosphere. Without a healthy tourism industry people would not find work, leave the island then rents would drop and Se Aquila and Se Vende signs would reappear everywhere as in 2009.Out in Palma tonight and personally I felt the atmosphere was not there - yes in the tourist hub which is La Llonja ok but this is a Thursday and nearly mid May. Local Spanish out but few foreign visitors.
Politicians of all stripes on Majorca always blame anyone and everything but their own policies and machinations,now you are reaping what you have sown.
I don't think you can blame the weather for much of the drop. A weather forecast only sees accurately at best 5-10 days into the future, if that. I don't think that many of Mallorca's visitors make plans as short term as that.
Well we all said this year will be a disaster due to the lunacy of this government. Using the changeable weather is only an weak excuse for the lack of business! Up north very little is ready for the season - still dirty beaches and no sunbeds. Why after a long winter holiday can't they get those things sorted by now? Every year it is the same. I also see that Mercadona are taking on 9000 new staff for the summer - I think they may regret that decision. Who's going to shop when there are so many less villa and apartment visitors? Certainly not the hotel clients. And now GOB and the stupid 'now we have arrived' group once more are trying to stick the boot into the cruise passengers with suggesting a doubling of the tourist tax to €5 for a short visit. Of course it's stupid to have all those cruise ships every Tuesday, and there will be the occasional oil spillage, and rightly so the cruise lines should pay the fines for that. But arrival schedules should have been arranged with the shipping companies years ago, and not now when the tourists are arriving. What a welcome we are giving those visitors!
Further to your comment that local business's are complaining about a drop in profits, we have just returned from 2 week visit to our apt in Santa Ponsa. We are not surprised profits are down, beaches were not ready, some hotels and bars/shops still not open, the season still seems to be getting shorter each year. Also prices seem to be ever increasing, we will continue to return, but it is questionable if first time visitors will when there are many other cheaper options available. Very sad.