Hotels take the biscuit

HOTELS in the Balearic Islands generate an average of 24'277 euros per year for every place available, in contrast to only 3'687 euros for each lodging in residential tourism. Results of research made public yesterday by the tourist promotion group Exceltur, suggest that even though both styles of holidaymaking are now level-pegging in terms of capacity, these figures conclude that hotel tourism generates fifteen times more wealth than its residential counterpart. According to the Exceltur report carred out in 26 tourist resorts, the wealth created through the hotel industry in the Balearics also passes its legacy down to the creation of employment. For every 1'000 hotel places, 135 jobs are created but in residential tourism, for the same number of places, only 23 jobs are contracted. Statistics reflecting the industry in Calvia, Playa de Palma, Ciutadella and Sant Antoni de Portmany clearly show the hotel and residential tourism differential. Net added value for the hotels in Calvia and Playa de Palma reach 20'011 and 19'611 euros respectively, whilst figures for residential tourism in both districts stand at 2'213 and 3'212 euros. These differences in wealth generation are particularly noticeable when, as is the case in Calvia, capacity in residential tourism is greater than availability in the hotel sector (52 and 48 percent respectively). In Playa de Palma, the differential is 70.3 and 29.7 percent; in Ciutadella, 60.4 and 39.6 percent.