Terror in a nearby land, a tax with a new name and a world-renowned chef. These were just some of the subjects and themes of the past week.
Silences for terror
Last Sunday's front cover featured a photo of Majorca's leaders - President Armengol, Vice-President Barceló, the mayor of Palma, José Hila, and the president of the Balearic parliament, Xelo Huertas - together with the French Consul, Michel Magnier. The reason why were gathered for a minute's silence in front of the Balearic government headquarters requires no explanation. On Tuesday, the cover provided more photos, those of minute's silences held across Majorca at midday on Monday.
In light of events in Paris, it was reassuring to learn on Wednesday that the island's emergency services were being "put to the test". A routine training exercise had acquired greater significance. Meanwhile, security had been stepped up on the island. The different branches of the security forces had increased significantly their controls at Palma's airport (and indeed at those of Ibiza and Minorca), while police presence was more noticeable at the ports and in commercial centres. Plainclothes officers, we reported, were to also be deployed at sports and other events.
Ramifications of the terror attacks for tourism were being downplayed. A Friday report suggested that French tourism would continue to grow albeit at a slower pace. But there was a "chilling" warning, as if it were required, that cities and resorts would need to be extra vigilant and to have crisis management plans in place.
Flights' victory
Meanwhile, victory was being declared on Thursday in the "battle for more winter flights", this despite the boss of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, having said in a letter that the airline doesn't consider flights between Palma and Scotland to be financially viable in midwinter. The weather, both in Majorca and in Scotland, is not conducive to obtaining the number of passengers needed to make a profit. Jet2, though, will have a total capacity of over 10,000 seats on flights from Leeds-Bradford, Manchester and Edinburgh in February and March.
Comments to our website, however, suggested that not everyone was convinced. Ian Morrison observed that a return fare in February for a week was around 650 euros, while Sean Dobson noted that it was cheaper to fly to Tenerife in February, where it will be "much warmer with blue skies and sunshine and everything open".
The tourist tax
The draft legislation for the introduction of the sustainable tourism tax was front-page news on Friday, while on page three it was "D-Day" for the tax: draft day perhaps. The government was at pains to point out that a period of public consultation would have "generated the maximum consensus and social debate possible" regarding the tax. Which might prove useful (were it to be the case) in helping the government to know how to spend the tax. On Wednesday, we reported that Biel Barceló said that it won't be known how the money will be allocated until 2017. Steve Riches, on our website, was having none of this. "They don't even know for which uses this tax will be collected. How can you possibly raise a tax without knowing that?"
Innovation the Adrià way
Ferran Adrià is one of the world's best-known chefs. His elBulli establishment earned him his fame, but since closing the restaurant he has widened his interests, and on Friday we highlighted the short exhibition he is staging in association with Telefonica at Palma's Es Baluard Museum. "Espacio Innovacíon" is all about innovation and creativity, and Adrià said that there was a simple way to convey the creative message. "If I explain the creative process in the context of cooking, everyone understands it because everyone eats."
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Re winter flights, I'm a 'little happier', I flew from Manchester Friday 20th with Monarch, the flight was rammed, fully booked. On collecting my hire car I was told 'we get at least ten to fifteen bookings as a result of the Monarch Manchester flight'. My home town is Birmingham & good old Ryanair have flights in February, hooray & I have already booked, the cost? £245 return for two.