Souvenir shops hopeful of a recovery of sales

Joaquín Fuster, owner of the oldest souvenir shop in Can Pastilla - it's been there since 1962 - observes that things have started well, but before last week he had doubts as to whether they would. His shop has been open since February. Only now are sales starting to pick up. He hasn't been able to employ his wife because the sales haven't allowed this. He hopes to be able to do so over the summer months.

Rasib Hossin, the owner of four shops, says that for how, he is "happy with the sales, but we have had to raise prices by 20%". One reason is a shortage of supplies. He calculates that it will take up to five years to get back on track. "In one year it will be impossible to recover the losses of the previous two years of pandemic."

Joan Pere Canals is president of Amicturs, a recently created association of tourist retail businesses. He is optimistic in believing that the forecasts  are good, "with results that are similar to those of 2019". However, he is aware that it will be impossible to recover all the losses of the last two years. In 2021, souvenir shops saw their turnover fall up to 70%. Many are at present not risking a replenishment of stocks, they having sold off what they could because of the pandemic.

There is any event the problem of supplies. Canals explains that there is less space on container ships coming to Spain; this is largely due to the war. "We estimate delays of up to 45 days."