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Germany's leading tour operators have decided to reduce capacity in the Balearics for next summer by 25 per cent in a bid to protect their fingers from getting burnt by another slump in bookings. The president of the Majorcan Tourist Board, Miguel Vicenç, said yesterday that German tour operators do not want to take another risk next summer and be left with unsold holidays. Apparently, the Balearic Tourism Minister, Celesti Alomar, was given notice of the reduction in the number of beds which will be contracted and that flight frequencies will also be reduced two weeks ago. The President of the Majorcan Hotel Federation, Pere Cañellas, is aware of the German market's strategy for next year and admitted that this summer has been “complicated and difficult to sell in Germany.” Vicenç expressed his concerns for the British market which, he said, was on the up ahead of the coach strike, but that over the past few weeks, sales of Balearic holidays in the UK have frozen. The hotel sector is far from pleased with the German decision and has urged tour operators to re-assess the situation at the end of the season. Nevertheless, hotel owners have learnt their lessons and this year price increases are expected to be minimal, less than three per cent.