The anti-tourism movement can pipe down now while the government repairs the damage.

The anti-tourism movement can pipe down now while the government repairs the damage. | Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter

Humphrey CarterPalma27/09/2024 12:42
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“It's nice to see some rain and cooler temperatures, perhaps now we can have the island back for a while,” my Mallorcan neighbour told me this week. After another alleged record summer season, well the airport and hotels have posted good numbers, the Mallorcans I know and foreign residents on the island are looking forward to the off season to enjoy the island in relative peace and quiet.

The anti-tourism movement can pipe down now, the damage has been done, while much of northern Europe head for the likes of Turkey for their dose of winter sun. Yet while we in Mallorca may ‘get the island back”, we’re still having to pay tourist prices. If it is true that restaurants and bars have suffered a sharp drop in takings, why don’t they reduce their prices for the standing population?

It may help those that are open all year tick over during the winter, they may even see business pick up. It’s all very well ripping off tourists during the summer, but what about during the winter when there aren’t too many around to cash in on. If there has been a 20 percent shortfall in revenue in the restaurant sector, then perhaps they could use the winter to make that back from local clients, but they are going to have to get their pricing right. Just because we live on a tourist island doesn’t mean we’ve all got the spending power of visitors from northern Europe. And if the Spanish can’t afford Mallorca, who is going to pay the bill?