Juan Molas, the president of the Spanish Hotels Confederation, yesterday expressed concern about the situation in the UK and warned that a hard Brexit could result in a 15% decrease in British tourism this summer.
Despite this concern, Molas noted that there was an increase in British numbers of around three per cent in the first two months of 2019. The UK market has, therefore, been functioning normally. But a hard (no deal) Brexit could change all this. Molas pointed to the possible effects of visas being required (which has as good as been ruled out) and of another drop in the value of the pound. These could lead to the 15% drop - around 2.7 million tourists for the whole of Spain.
British bookings so far this year have seen increases of five and six per cent on the Costa del Sol and Costa Dorada. In Majorca, by contrast, they have dropped six per cent. Molas said that this isn't just because of Brexit. Another factor is the tourist tax, which hoteliers on the island consider to be "scandalous".
In general terms, though, Molas concluded that British and German bookings were going well. "Hopefully they will continue to."
