Government & hoteliers meeting, Palma.

Government & hoteliers meeting, Palma. | Jaume Morey

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterMallorca-International14/01/2021 09:51
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Hoteliers in Mallorca, Minorca and Ibiza have no idea when the 2021 tourist season will begin, because absolutely everything depends on what happens with the coronavirus epidemic and the success of the vaccination campaign, according to Hotel Business Federation President Maria Frontera, and Tourism & Labour Minister, Iago Negueruela.

“The Balearic Islands will be a safe destination regardless of the level of vaccination it has,” claimed Minister Negueruela. “Next season will coexist with the virus and the vaccination process, but guaranteeing safe tourism at the same time.

Negueruela didn’t predict any dates, but is confident that there will be a season, because "the season doesn’t depend exclusively on vaccination and we will continue to work towards having a season when the epidemiological situation improves and the Balearic Islands are a safe destination."

"Vaccination probably won’t be completed before the tourist season, but it is a positive variable that will hep to reopen economic activity,” said Maria Frontera, but wouldn't be drawn on a date. "We are not in a position to say yes in the short to medium term and this issue won’t be clarified for another four or five months," she added. At the moment no-one knows when the season will start in the Balearic Islands or in the other Autonomous Communities, each territory will have to decide when to reactivate its tourist activity."

Frontera stressed that "without financial aid from the Government businesses and jobs in the Islands will fall by the wayside and when we restore safe corridors with European tourism markets we won't have enough companies and workers to be able to provide a quality service."

"All of the coronavirus protocols must be applied,” insists Frontera, “because along with the vaccine it will guarantee that a level of safety can be kept."