Palma´s Christmas shopping campaign

While shop keepers continue their battle against the Spanish government's desire to create a free market environment in which traders can open on Sundays and bank Holidays as they see fit, the commercial sector has launched a campaign to attract shoppers into the centre of Palma. The Balearic shopkeepers federation (Afedeco) and the Majorcan federation of small shopkeepers (Pimeco), in association with the Chamber of Commerce and the city council yesterday unveiled the “Palma, city of shopping” campaign for Christmas. This Christmas, as always, a host of street entertainment is to be organised as part of a “Palma, a complete centre of fun” project to try and get shoppers into the city centre and boost trade for the small shopkeepers. From next Friday, the street entertainment will be staged every Friday and Saturday afternoon until January 11, by which time the winter sales would have started. Furthermore, in participating shops, every one who spends over six euros will receive a present in return and enter a prize draw for a holiday. Should this year's campaign prove successful with shops opening Saturday afternoons, next year, the commercial sector is considering launching the initiative at the end of October.