From this weekend until the beginning of April, Mercedes-Benz will be exhibiting their electric car models at Palma's Palacio de Congresos. An international promotion, invitations for attendance reflect a global reach that the German car manufacturer is seeking. People will be arriving from Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Majorca tourism
Mercedes and the promotion of Mallorca
Videos of the cars in various island settings
Also in News
- Spain wants Britons to show they have 113.40 euros, £97, per day for their holidays
- Big changes on the horizon when Britons travel to Mallorca
- Over two hours for Britons to get through Palma airport queues
- Palma Airport passport control "collapse" put down to unscheduled flights
- Living in a motorhome in Palma: "It'll only get worse"
10 comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
David HollandTrue. However, there's a fairly large contingent of the market that's only interested in those things. And statistically, it's dominated by Brits. For example, Calas de Mallorca used to be the very icon of that; an isolated British enclave renowned for cheap all-inclusive. I think that may be changing now, but I haven't been out there in a very long time. Still, there's a larger, and much faster growing contingent of tourism seeking a very different, higher quality experience. They're not here for cheap beer and beach partying. They're coming for lots of other reasons, including sport, golf, cycling, hiking, equestrian activities, yoga, boutique shopping, sightseeing, cultural enlightenment, and a more comfortable, more private living environment (e.g., 5 star boutique hotels And spacious, private villas). They come year round, and they have plenty of disposable income to spend. This contingent is overwhelmingly dominated by non-british tourism, which explains much about why Brits are largely unaware of it. But it's there, and this is precisely why this sector is being promoted over drunken cheapness tourism. Having said that, the hoteliers association is quite politically powerful, and a certain contingent of their membership's business is based on the "pack 'em in cheap" model... and is naturally threatened by the concept of "quality over quantity", so there's some resistance to that. Other hoteliers see it as an opportunity, and rightfully so, and have invested heavily in attracting that tourism model, and are marketing further afield. But they're thinking strategically, not tactically. The good news is that the cheapness model is increasingly becoming less desirable in the more lucrative emerging markets. And that explains a lot about why British tourism in particular finds it increasingly objectionable, and claims to seek cheapness elsewhere (although there's little evidence of any actual exodus of Brits). And that explains a lot about why nobody's all that concerned about it. Yeah, go to Greece or Turkey then. We have plenty of others who are seeking what we have to offer. And the stats show that it's all just empty threats anyway. And the tabloids can't be taken seriously.
Plenty of good music being played all over the island, apart from the scene in Palma there are Jazz festivals in Sa Pobla and Pollença to name two local to me. Never feel they get very well promoted though. Almost like they want to keep them a secret. Wonder if they’d ever get the ever excellent Ms Gardot over here?
David HollandTo be fair Palma gets tourists all year round and most of the hotels are open. It's just the resorts that shut down over winter.
Morgan WilliamsCertainly am . Have been known to haunt the blue jazz club at the Saratoga when on the island. Like I said that type of island life is never really sold .. The travel companies still run a 1970s resorts model..Comfortable Majorca beach family hols or Clubbing and getting blattererd with beer and kebabs for breakfast. There’s a great market out there for Palma city economy.
David HollandYou're a jazz fan? Ok, you just gained some serious points with me 😉
Morgan WilliamsThere’s a market there. I’ve personally done the travel ..to see artists in different surroundings. Last November traveled to Vienna to see an American jazz singer Melody Gardot . Beautiful venue great show. Could have gone to London or Paris but choose a return to a city We haven’t been to for a while. I was very surprised by how many others chatting in the lobby had traveled to see the show. Provide the draw and people will come.
David HollandAgreed. This is precisely the strategy and no doubt will become more frequent in the future. There will always be some who object, but they're just not seeing the big picture.
David HollandI know. A shame the building is so god damn ugly but that's what we're stuck with.
Zoltan TeglasIt’s diversifying the economy. Majorca is an island with a large infrastructure of hotels..restaurants..pleasant scenery..and a very large airport. Conference sessions and exhibitions are an ideal way to use this capacity all year round. Performance arts .. people travel many hours to see major artists . Palma is 3 hours by plane from most European cities. No difference from Paris to nice , Hamburg to Berlin, Newcastle to London… Folk have a nice mini break and see the show ..
More of this is needed in the conference centre.