Holiday opening ‘exceeded all expectations'

Julio Martinez, spokesman for the ruling Partido Popular (PP) Council said that the success was clear evidence that the city was “very much alive” and has all the makings of an all-year-round holiday weekend destination. Martinez said that public holiday opening should have been a project for the commercial sector, “even were the country not going through a financial crisis.” He said that declaring the central shopping streets of Palma as being an area of particular tourist interest has succeeded in galvanising the capital and has all the hallmarks of being able to attract custom in low to mid season as well as the summer. It was not just the large department stores that had opened last Sunday, small to medium-sized businesses followed suit, said Martinez.

The Councillor pointed to the significant number of people who had taken advantage of the holiday opening, including 5'000 cruise tourists who had been in Palma port over the weekend. “The visitors will take away a very positive image with them of Palma being open on Sundays and holidays as well,” augured Martinez.

He acknowledged that it was as well to be cautious over predictions for the future as the initial success of the Sunday and holiday opening project could partly be due to its novelty and also the fact that the Easter period has given people more time than usual to browse through the shops.