Bauza under fire at the World Travel Market

The Majorcan Hotel Federation said that its members “feel the government has deceived them by the new tourism and economic policies which are going to penalise them and cost hotels money which in turn, will lead to a loss of competitiveness.” However Bauza was upbeat repeating that the number of British visitors coming to the Balearics will increase by at least five percent next year on the back of a five percent rise this year.

James Bond
The President and the Balearic tourism delegation spent yesterday morning at the World Travel market talking to hoteliers and British tour operators before holding talks with the General Director of the Spanish Tourist Board, Turespaña, Manuel Butler, accompanied by the Balearic Minister for Tourism and Sport. Then, after lunch, Bauza and the Director of the Mallorca Film Commission, Pedro Barbadillo, headed out to Pinewood Studios to follow up on talks held here in Palma early last month about the studio's global expansion plans which could include moving into Majorca.

Bauza and Barbadillo met Pinewood directors before being taken on a tour of the studios which is where the latest James Bond film Skyfall was shot along with a host of historic blockbusters over the years.

Bauza hoped to use yesterday's meeting at Pinewood to further convince studio directors that Majorca would be an ideal place for them to open an overseas studio considering the highly professional audio visual industry already in place on the island, Majorca's close proximity to all of Europe's capital cities, its vast range of diverse locations and the fact that two major blockbusters have been shot on the island over the past year.

The day ended with a reception at Meliá Hotels International new L'Hotel ME London on the Strand last night.