Editorial: China in your eyes

For the last four months I have been underlining the virtues of Majorca as a Winter holiday destination. The British airlines have stood firm saying there is no demand for more flights during the low season. Local hoteliers think likewise. But their arguments were rather dismissed yesterday by the Chinese who have purchased a luxury five star hotel in central Palma and Air China will soon have a direct air link, with stop-overs, to Palma. What is more the Chinese have gone on a major buying spree in Spain and are in the process of buying a large number of hotels. Sounds incredible? But true. The Chinese are proving that Majorca is a Winter holiday destination and they are spending millions of euros proving their claim. The question has to be asked; if the Chinese can see the opportunity of Majorca as a Winter holiday destination why can´t their counterparts in Europe? The Hotel Valparaiso in central Palma was purchased yesterday by a Chinese company which intends to transform it into a major luxury hotel catering for Chinese tourists. Majorca´s great cultural heritage will prove a big attraction for the Chinese who are willing to fly for up to 12 hours to savour Majorca´s joys during the Winter and the Summer. It is such a shame that European travel firms can´t copy the Chinese. So Winter tourism to Majorca has taken another step forward. Full marks to the Chinese, I sincerely hope that they prove their European counterparts wrong.