Majorca traders lose 22 mln euros

Bernat Coll, the President of the Small to Medium-sized Business Association of Majorca (Pimeco) admitted that there was no positive change seen for the “immediate future.”

Coll said that there hadn't been any real improvement in trading during July, despite a surge in the number of visitors and the tactics of introducing special offers and discounts. He claimed that although the numbers of tourists on the island might have surged, very few were coming with money to spend because of opting for the “all-inclusive” package. “People are only window shopping, if that,” insisted Coll, adding that the cruise ship industry wasn't helping either because it too was increasingly providing all-inclusive packages.

Coll said that since the start of the economic crisis, more than 2'000 of traders belonging to “Pimeco” had had to close. He said that come the autumn with the departure of the tourists, business will be even less certain and it is likely that further businesses will shut. A main enemy, said Coll, is the army of illegal street traders still operating around the island. Already, “Pimeco” has spoken with the City Council on proposals not just about tighter controls on illegal trading but also to make the public aware that they too are breaking the law if they buy from unauthorised sellers.