Editorial: Tourism debate

THE Balearics wants quality tourists rather than quantity, according to local President Jose Ramon Bauza. As usual it appears that our senior politicians do not appear to be in touch with the modern day reality of tourism in the Balearics because business owners in the resorts are crying out for tourists, any tourist! But, I would also like to remind Sr. Bauza that the Balearics needs numbers. There are hundreds of hotels, thousands of bars and restaurants which require millions of tourists. Now, Bauza claims that he wants the top end of the market because “cheaper tourism”costs more in the form of police and other services. Yes, Sr. Bauza, every tourist resort across the world wants big spending tourists but unless you fix the ills of many of our resorts you are not even going to get the so-called “cheaper tourists”lets alone the “millionaires.” Now, obviously his comments were made for the domestic market looking ahead to the elections next year. But it is quite amazing that after years of giving the green light to more hotels and more tourist business the leader of the Balearic government now wants fewer tourists. The simple truth is that the Balearics needs mass tourism otherwise thousands of people will be left without a job. It is as simple as that. You can´t simple reverse the clock and forget three-star hotel tourists in favour of those staying in a five star hotel. Majorca has a nice balance at the moment whatever Bauza thinks.