Palma's Sunday shopping zone to be expanded, earlier sales

17/06/2012 00:00

Palma.Nearly 64 percent of shops and businesses in the Born and Jaime III are now opening in Sundays and Bank Holidays, according to Palma City Council, and the government now wants to significantly expand the so called area of mass tourism to include the Avenidas.

This will effectively mean that the entire centre of Palma will be able to open on Sundays and Bank Holidays should they wish.
At the moment, this year's pilot scheme began on March 15 and will end on October 30, but the Balearic government not only wants to expand the Sunday opening zone, but also make it an all-year round initiative to help the retail and restaurant sector.

The initiative has been well responded to by residents and holiday makers who, until March 15, were faced with a ghost town in Palma on the weekends.
But the scheme has brought the capital to life and the retail and restaurant sectors are pleased with the results.
The Balearic government also intends to bring forward the start of the winter sales in 2013 in another attempt to help boost high street spending. Partido Popular MP Asuncion Pons said yesterday that Palma not only attracts millions of tourists, they are also potential consumers.