Majorca faces all out strike by tour guides

JUST when some people thought things could not get any worse for the tourist industry, or even the local government, this year thousands of tourists arriving in Majorca could be faced with an all-out and indefinite strike by tourist guides, which will effectively mean no excursions. While the Balearic Ministry for Tourism stepped in to try and resolve the dispute yesterday, the Association of Majorcan Tourist Guides said that its members are prepared to take industrial action in protest over the government's “passive” attitude towards the problems the Association and its members face - such as guides operating illegally in the tourist sector and the government failing to carry out adequate inspections. President of the Association, Pilar Benitez said yesterday that they want the government to prevent travel agents and tour operators from organising official excursions “now that the law states they must have a recognised and official guide on board. Yesterday the Ministry for Tourism met the Association's legal representatives to thrash out the situation - although the strike warning and complaint was submitted on July 9 and the government only got around to taking action yesterday, three days before industrial action is due to be taken.