HOTELIER ATTACKS

“ IN the last four years there has been a build-up of mistakes, with no promotion in tourism to speak of, a deplorable lack of institutional presence in trade fairs and exhibitions and no clear goals. At the same time there hasn't been adequate planning to cope with the changes in mass tourism such as an economic study that would justify it. The Balearic Ministry for tourism has been living with their backs turned on reality and on the tourist sector resulting in public insult and discredit”, said the President of the Sol Meliá chain of hotels, Gabriel Escarrer, during a conference in Palma on Monday night. He severely criticised the Balearic government strategy in terms of destabilisation, economic wastage, and a lack of a strategic tourism policy. “How can we come to an agreement with this government when we have different viewpoints about the importance of tourism?” At this juncture, Escarrer threw out a challenge: “I want to propose, that once and for always there is a proper tourist policy - following on from May 25 (the date of the elections) of this year, whoever is elected will have to set up new channels of dialogue and concensus in order to recuperate that which should never have been lost - such as giving tourism its due value.” He attacked an “appalling” Government policy. “Faced with our current situation, the Government's indifference is endorsed by the delicate situation it is now experiencing and they are unable to admit, because of their own failings that the industry is suffering.” To conclude, he said that the future Minister of tourism must have three goals: “Re-establish talks, change the current image of Majorca and create an assessment think-tank made up of business people linked with the industry.”
MINISTER HITS BACK
The Balearic Minister for Tourism Celesti Alomar hit back yesterday claiming that the only thing that Escarrer had made clear was his political beliefs and they did not lie with the coalition socialist/nationalist Balearic government.