YOUR LETTERS

I TOO remember a six month tourist season! When I lived in the UK, back in the 1980's, I started visits to Majorca at Easter time, and came 3 times or more until the first week in November. So why has the season shortened?

I think the answer lies in the economy of Spain, at one time for someone coming from Britain, Majorca was a very reasonably priced holiday venue, on all counts, hiring a car, eating out and drinks even in a 5 start hotel. For those with properties, maids and gardeners, the cost was very little compared to the North of Europe, and I think there must be the answer?

The cheapest item these days of the internet seems to be the actual flight here, but once here, the prices have come into line with the rest of Europe and may for some items be more due to the fact that this is an island. The UK has much competition in areas such as clothing, furniture and food shopping. So the visitor today can afford less time here due to the cost of the holiday, and as we are not a “hot” winner sunshine place, the majority of the visitors appear to come when they are sure the weather will be good.

I believe the answer must lie in the promotion of winter out door pursuits, which already exist. We have some excellent facilities in place, namely cycling, road racing for the professionals. Swimming as a winter training for athletes (I believe that beside the Son Hugo complex, there are facilities in the Colonia San Jordi where the British swimming team is to train). There is golf and I have noted that some hotels last winter were doing a package for 7 days with breakfast, hire car and golf few included a designated courses. There is trekking and hiking in the beautiful Majorcan countryside (at a temperature in the cooler months which would allow this) and horse riding (I see the German community was trying to start polo playing).

Why does the tourist board not look at options such as “bridge players packages” in upscale or city hotels, these could be combined with some cultural city visits for short break holidays. Surely once the convention centre is open there could be “side” interest breaks for accompanying wives or partners. Perhaps there will never be a huge occupation of the seaside hotels out of season, but the tourist board should use their resources, not on pictures of Rafael Nadal going round Majorca on a boat, but finding out what other islands similar in size and climate do in the winter. Thinking of Sr. Nadal what about winner tennis schools in a packaged break during the dark days of winter, this would be a great escape from the North of Europe. The island should be promoted in all cool European countries showing the great facilities and countryside for winter breaks as there are many people who see us as a sea, sand and sun and nothing else.

The answer would seem to be in sport based breaks and as we are being encouraged to exercise more, this type of promotion would seem to be a ready made opening to start reinstituting a longer season. They (the tourist board) seem to miss the point and need to look away from sea and sand and see the islands milder winter weather as an out door playground (a winter California for the North).

Certainly something must be thought up very urgently as the island cannot let the golden goose hibernate in the winter and lose much needed revenue.
Yvonne Cotton

Palmanova