Low expections for 2010 high tourist season

THE economic crisis and the negative impact it has had on the regional tourist industry in the Balearics has resulted in a major downturn in business confidence for next season, reported a commercial watchdog yesterday.

Research showed that overall expectations for the summer of 2010 were down 5.6 percent, double that registered a year ago. This year, said the watchdog, is the first on record that hoteliers and other businesses dealing in tourist accommodation showed pessimism over the next holiday season. But the individual sector which has even greater fears for the future - with confidence down 9.7 percent - is that of the so-called “complementary offer” which refers to bars, cafés and restaurants, and other businesses which depend on tourism.

Looking at Majorca alone, confidence over the next summer season is down by 5.5 percent on what it had been this time last year, and amongst the complementary offer traders down by as much as 10 percent.