TW
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Dear Sir, I met a friend from England who wanted to stay at Cala Bona where some other friends were already staying.
I tried to book him a room at a hotel in the resort to be told that although there were vacant rooms we could not book because the rooms were ‘committed'to a big tour company. Now I know (and accept) that the big tour operators ‘block book' beds for their clients and, by and large, they are entitled to do so.

These beds however did not have a firm booking according to the hotel rep. They were merely being held IN CASE the tour operator had any ‘late bookings'.

I am sure that the general public think that late bookings are a bargain because they are cancellations or a few left over – that is clearly not the case.

I feel that this is sharp practice at least, but the hotels had better watch out because the market is changing – people are more willing to travel independently and the hoteliers, and tour companies may one day be left with egg on their face.

Peter South.Palma.