Abril admits that there is a long way to go in achieving this, but in order to do so he says "we have to be brave and bring forward forceful measures". As an example, Abril points to the tourist tax. It has not been negative, he insists, and believes that it could have been higher "and would not have been noticed".
There need to be, in his estimation, "containment measures" in order to stop there being "Magallufs and massive tourism", which everyone is rejecting. However, until the Balearics has "sovereignty" over the airport, he accepts that it will be difficult to exercise real control of the tourism model that Més wants for the Balearics. Were there to be this airport management, decisions could then be taken as to the number of tourists and as to what times of year that they come.
Also on the airport (Palma's, that is), Abril has announced that Més will be presenting a parliamentary motion that "rejects the privatisation" of public areas that is turning the airport into "the biggest runway shop in Europe". Ultimately, Abril says, airports end up being more like shopping centres than airports. "Almost half of the commercial space at the airport" is devoted to shops.
The management of these businesses is currently in the hands of the Swiss company Dufry. "The people of the islands want tourists, but the Swiss want business."
Més is to urge the national ministry for development and the airports authority Aena to create "more friendly areas", such as those for reading, children's recreation or simply ones for walking. It was a shame, he suggested, that a superstore was opened at the airport when at the same there was a play centre being inaugurated at Madrid's terminal four.
In addition to all the shops giving off a bad image (including those promoting the sale of alcohol and tobacco), Abril believes the sheer volume of passengers does as well. Pointing to there having been a record of 1,024 flights in 24 hours last month, this leads to waiting times of an hour per passenger.
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Take a trip to Schiphol. There they know how to run an airport where the focus is on the customer experience, and not a race to the bottom for profit.
Simon, We all know you like watching!
Or birdwatching
Totally agree with Wolfgang, Why not tax us to the hilt from the Uk and limit our flights. That way at least we will be forced to go to Italy or Greece etc. To be fair I have been to Majorca for the past ten years so no need to spend any more money on the island. I am sure the French, Swiss and Scandinavians are queing at the airport to get into Majorca as I write this. At least you would have plenty of time to go fishing Wolfgang when the Uk and German tourists have left.
Steve, to give Jason and the rest of the team their due, they are only transcribing what has been published in other local daily´s keeping us up-to-date about what is occurring locally. I´m pretty sure that, even in this heat, he is not foolish enough to publish two leaders in the same day.
Yet another stupid comment from Wolfgang. Spain cannot do what it likes regarding British tourists, as it needs Britain to continue to treat Spanish immigrants there the way it they do.
Totally agree with Abril, I would limit flights from Germany and UK (especially after Brexit, when Spain can do what it likes to tax British airlines/people or limit them). I would encourage more flights from France/Switzerland/Scandinavia as these tourists generally seem better behaved than the others.
More nonsense Editor, we don't want to read nonsense here. 1.The effects of the tourist tax won't be known until this time next year. 2. The local businesses are having the worst summer in history, and 3, we don't know what the pound exchange rate will be next year. The chances are that we'll have less tourists next year, with a lot less to spend. Simply limit the amount of all-inclusive deals that each hotel can offer, and let holiday apartments register, display a certificate and pay tax on their profits.
If the places are there, rent them out. This island makes its living from tourism. Why are people so stupid as to try to kill a trade that keeps them, directly or indirectly, in a job?
15% ? I don't think Mes managed to get even 3% of the total vote.