GERMAN TRAVEL SECTOR BOSS PRAISES BALEARIC VOTERS

Staff reporter PRESIDENT of the German DRV association of travel agents and tour operators, Klaus Laepple, yesterday praised the Balearic electorate for its “professional” attitude at the May 25 local elections. Klaus Laepple travelled to Palma yesterday for talks with Balearic leader Jaume Matas and said that the new government is a “breath of fresh air” for the travel industry, adding that the decision to scrap the tourist tax has already served to improve relations between Germans and the Balearics. He also said that over the past few days, bookings in Germany have started to recover and suggested that the late surge is, to a certain extent, in response to the decision to axe the tax. The president of the association, which represents 5'000 members of the German travel industry, said that the “confrontational” attitude of the previous government “was a real shame.” But, with the Partido Popular back in power, Klaus Laepple said “I'm sure our relationship (with the Balearics) will improve and we can all enjoy doing good business together.” “It's vital for the Balearics, which is visited by 15 per cent of German holidaymakers each year, to make its guests feel welcome,” he said yesterday. Klaus Laepple also met the new Tourism Minister Joan Flaquer who himself travels to Germany on Monday on a two-day trip and congratulated him and the government on winning an absolute majority, a feat which, he said, “is not easy.” Flaquer, already working on organising this year's Association of British Travel Agents convention in Palma, is hoping to lure the DRV to Majorca for their convention next year and that is an issue he will be looking to push while in Germany next week, flying the Balearics new “friendly” flag.