Editorial: Not good for tourism

EARLIER this summer the San Antonio council in Ibiza with the help of the British government launched a poster campaign warning British tourists of  some of the dangers they may encounter while on holiday.  It was a public awareness campaign. San Antonio has been dubbed as the Magalluf of Ibiza and the poster campaign was a good idea and the initial proposal came from the local authorities. The Foreign Office adviced the council on the campaign because they obviously have plenty of experience with Britons abroad. This was  a step in the right direction. But unfortunately the poster campaign had to be scrapped because of an outcry from certain sections of the tourist industry.  In other-words the travel advice with posters across the resort was deemed to be “not good for tourism.” I mention this state of affairs because I suspect that the British government will now be asked by their Spanish counterparts to mount a similar campaign but this time aimed at Magalluf. But certain sections of the tourist industry must realise that they can´t have their cake and eat it. Obviously, a public awareness campaign is needed in Magalluf. There are plenty of hidden dangers ranging from muggers masquerading as prostitutes to an ample supply of booze at very cheap rates. But what certain sections of the tourist industry have to realise at the moment is that what is happening in Magalluf is not good for tourism. A bad image is worth a thousand words and is not good for tourism.