Jason MoorePalma22/08/2018 00:00
TW

"Are you open tomorrow (Sunday)," I asked a shop assistant at a leading British department store. She replied: "Yes, because there is a cruise ship coming in." Now, obviously I wasn't in Palma, where shops stay closed even if the whole Cunard fleet drops anchor in the port. No, I was in a Gibraltar, a place, which like Majorca, relies heavily on tourism and where shop opening hours work around the visiting tourist not the other way around.

Gibraltar has always had it tough. For decades it depended on the miliary for its very livelihood. But the Rock is no longer a fortress and Gibraltar has been forced to re-invent itself as a tourist desination. It should be congratulated because it has done very well. But because the people of Gibraltar have had it tough they will not allow any opportinity to pass them by, such as a visit of a cruise ship. I would say that the majority of shops were open that Sunday in Gibraltar and cruise-ship passengers made their sacrifice very well worth.

Majorca has never really had it tough. Tourists have always come and gone and at the end of the day not too much effort was needed. But sadly there are so many options missed in Majorca, like Sunday shop opening when cruise ships are visiting. This island needs to take a leaf out of Gibraltar book. The Rock may not have all the attractions and fantastic beaches of Majorca but they are not letting any opportunity pass them by. A pity Majorca can't say the same.