Palma14/03/2018 00:00
The business genius credited by many of his ex-colleagues yesterday of having put "fun" into overseas family holidays, Harry Goodman, has sadly died. But according to many of those travel experts I spoke to yesterday, the sense of "fun" in a family holiday died quite a long time ago. And this year, according to the latest market reports and boardroom comments, there are not going to be too many laughs for Majorca and the Balearics as a whole.
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The only thing stopping me booking a Holiday on Majorca is the cost of the Hotel and package charges , prices have shot up, our holiday this May nearly doubled to £850+ and that was for B & B. On the Spanish Mainland I can get half board for half of that. People will vote with their feet now Tunisia, Egypt etc are back on the radar. Tourist tax is not a problem for me, I pay that on the Mainland although only for the first 7 nights, banners no bother nor is traffic, but prices need to drop for me and others to return..
Tourists tax is good as the collected revenue is used to compensate for the effect of tourism. Less cars is a good thing as there are problems in Pollensa, Valldemossa and Escorca, as reported in today’s DMB. Hotel prices, reflect the current market. Slogans telling tourists to go home are due to over crowding in peak season. All perfectly justified so don’t complain.
There has always been “mass” tourism in Mallorca. The only difference is that over the last 25 years it has spread all over the island whereas 40 to 50 years ago it was concentrated in what is known as the bay of Palma. The point of inflection was probably reached when the old airport (Son San Juan, not Son Bonet ) was considered to be too small and the planning for new one was authorised.
I didn't express any attitude at all! That is a completely different issue that I am not interested to debate in MDB. Based on my own experience from several countries it is my impression that mass tourism destroys the charm of the place. You may have a different experience but you don't mention any such exceptions to what I wrote.
No RBMM. Mass tourism does not have to be a bad thing. And the "masses" do not have to be treated like 2nd class citizens. Snobbery has dictated that working class people ( who work hard all year to get their few days in the sun ) should not be treated well. This is not a fair attitude. The rich only become richer on the backs of the working man, who deserves some appreciation.
To me Palma Nova is a place for mass tourism and what Britbabe describes is what characterize mass tourism, and that is boring. Isn't that the prize you pay when a place develops into a resort for mass tourism?
Another aspect of what is wrong with Mallorca. Many years ago, when I first holidayed in Palmanova, it was lovely to stroll along the sea-front in the evening and well into the night. There were many bars and a variety of small shops to call into. Now, many of the bars have gone and the shops have either changed into Chinese hands - all selling the same blingy tat - or are very "down at heel" and have little to encourage shoppers. Palmanova always used to be cheap and cheerful but now it is, in the main, very run-down. I believe that Santa Ponsa has similar problems. Such a shame as the beaches are fabulous. If this scenario is repeated throughout the island, tourists won´t need telling that they are not welcome. They won´t want to come anyway.