The hotelier associations in Playa de Palma and Palmanova-Magalluf agree that tourism legislation needs to remove this outdated supply from the market. The tourism minister, Biel Barceló, is more to the point: "This type of offer should not exist and needs to be eradicated. And for this there has to be cooperation between the businesses themselves and departments of government concerned with tourism, labour and consumption."
Francisco Marin of the Playa de Palma association focuses on hotels of between one and three stars. Of the 138 hotels in total in the area, thirty of them could "disappear and no one would miss them". These hotels, he says, make offers that are "more than cheap" and attract a tourism that is uneducated, wild and with low spending power. "They bring in a genuine rabble."
The president of the Palmanova-Magalluf association, Sebastian Darder, points out that there are small establishments that have not undergone redevelopment which have no choice but to attract a low quality of tourism. "There are two models (of hotel) at present and we are at a phase of transition. The outdated supply needs to be eliminated and this will bring an end to the type of tourist who creates a bad image for the resorts and the island as a whole."
The views of these hotelier leaders are echoed by Jesús Sánchez, the president of the association for clubs and nightlife. "These establishments don't fit with the market, as they are obsolete and bring in tourism based only on the lure of low prices. It's logical that they should go."
Barceló adds that the new tourism law will be able to directly influence this outmoded accommodation. "The law will toughen criteria regarding quality and sustainability controls on labour issues and consumption. Above all, there needs to be a change to the supply which only generates a bad reputation."
They all accept that most of these hotels are marketed as very low-quality all-inclusives, something which part of the European holiday market demands.
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Thanks Steve I will try that. I have also discovered Santa Catalina in Palma, wonderful place, very bo-ho.
Jenny (below) - try walking round to Son Caliu, opposite Mercadona, and along the first street at the back of Olivia Apartments you will find a number of restaurants doing a meal of the day on most days, featuring 3 courses including wine and water for around 10 Euros or less per person. Try Restaurante Olivia or Paco & Mona's for value and quality. Also, Meson Son Caliu on the corner across from the pharmacy does a good meal of the day from 1pm to 4pm weekdays There areally many similar places right across the isand. Palma Nova has a fine beach and some eateries are OK but like anywhere else you need to get off the tourist drag to find value and more local food.
Stop trying to move the goalposts, Simon.Son Moll and Cala Agulla are NOT Cala Rajada. But then you don't live here, so you don't really know much. Secondly, it's not "up to me" how to describe the town of Cala Rajada, it is how the Municipality of Capdepera organises itself. Just because you don't understand that doesn't make it any less true."I obviously know less than Wikipedia which states that there are 78 hotels with 15.528 beds." Like I asked, name ONE hotel in Capdepera. You can't. You'll find them only in the Cala Rajada zone that is without the Llevante Park.And as for you claiming that no trees have re-grown since a forest fire in 1958, well… we'll just leave that comment there for others to decide whether or not you're a moron.
Hi sorry new to this site and Majorca. Stumbled across this website whilst looking for things to do in Majorca. As a first time visitor to the Island (staying in Palma Nova) I have to say after 5 days I am underwhelmed. Palma Nova is like a hot Blackpool and I went to Magaluf yesterday lunchtime and it was dead! So far its all a bit ugly and tacky, all the food so far has been 'tourist tapas', can someone please give some advice on whats nice around here as I aint seeing it. Went to Portugal last year and Nice year before, they were much better. Just hope Im missing something and it gets better. So far its all a bit low rent and rubbish bars and food :-(
Ron, Sorry that should have been Fundacion Bartolome March, his son.For more info regarding Joan March please see www.canverga.comCheers.
Hi Ron, I was always under the impression that Cala Agulla and Son Moll beaches were in Cala Ratjada. I must be either mistaken or was in the wrong place. How one describes Cala Ratjada is up to you. I thought that village describes a place with around 6.000 people quite well If you care to visit the Fundacion March website you will see that they situate the estate in Cala Ratjada. Maybe you know better than them. By the way it´s Lliteras, not Literals. Re hotels, I obviously know less than Wikipedia which states that there are 78 hotels with 15.528 beds. Maybe you should correct them. Finally, one of my first memories of Cala Ratjada is from around 1958 when I was staying in Cas Bombu with my family and a massive forest fire broke out, cutting off the traffic to and from Artá for nearly two days. This is why the hills on the horizon are treeless. We were on one of our frecuent visits to spend a few days with my sisters boyfriend, now husband, parents, who owned a house on the then, untarmacced road, to Cala Agulla. They have since bought a house in Sa Font de Sa Cala and spend their summers there. Cheers
Well said Ron. The Towrag very rarely gets his facts right, but sure has an opinion on everything!
Simon,Cala Rajada doesn't have a beach - it's a port. Cala Rajada is not a village. That is Capdepera, 4Km away, and it does not have a single hotel.The March family did not build their estate in Cala Rajada. It is up on the headland approaching the Faro and Cala Literals.As most of this area is within the Llevante Park, no hotel development has taken place. Little, if any, private villa building is allowed either.You clearly know as much about this area as your execrable knowledge on how the hotel industry has developed. Leave it people who actually live there, and run hotels.
I hope that John C is taking the p..s, if not I know what the C stands for.
Agree with Mary, Eastern Europeans are becoming a big problem on the Island. We all know about the Nigerian mafia types and what a negative they are to Mallorca, but the Bulgarian/Romanian filth run a close second.