Cruising ahead

Palma is becoming a more international city as every day goes by. The arrival of large numbers of cruise ships means that in the centre of the city it appears that tourists outnumber local residents. But Palma needs to be slightly more tourist friendly. I would encourage the city council to establish information points for tourists in key parts of the city and also work with the business community so that they can get the most out of visiting cruise ship passengers. I would say that the cruise ship industry is getting so important for Palma that shop and restaurant opening times need to change. It is no good restaurants opening at 8pm when cruise ships depart at the same time. As I have said on numerous occasions in this space, shops need to have more flexible opening hours. Sunday opening in the city during the summer months is vital. The majority of vessels arrive in port early in the morning and therefore shops need to open early as well. The city council needs to work closely with cruise ship operators to ensure that passengers can enjoy Palma to the limit and that it proves to be a profitable experience for local businesses. Shop staff need to speak at least English and possibly even German. Palma has a golden opportunity to shine as a cruise ship capital port but it needs to get its act together. It is vital that tourists feel at home in the city and that the experience is as simple and as enjoyable as possible. There is plenty of work to be done.