In good shape

AFTER summer season which has seen two local airlines shedding hundreds of jobs, a major tour operator going into administration and hundreds of local businesses facing a bleak winter, Margarita Najera, the outgoing minister for employment and now the new champion of the the redevelopment of the Playa de Palma, said that tourism in the Balearics was in good shape. It is in such good shape that this year hotels are closing early and unemployment within the industry is rising.

I don´t think anyone would admit that tourism here is in good shape. Perhaps, the season has not been as bad as some people thought but the overall picture is bleak. Airlines are talking about their worst period ever and no-one in Majorca is talking about winter tourism. I would say that the island has a golden opportunity at the moment to start planning for the future. It is clear that beach tourism is in decline and tourists want more activities, such as leisure parks and more valuable for money. If they don´t get it they are just going to go elsewhere. In these hard times places like Turkey are looking good where tourists find that their euros and pounds will go much further. In good shape I don´t think so. Probably slightly thinner and with fears for the future.