The sale of excursions in the Balearics has fallen by 50% since 2011. This at least is the experience of travel agents, which have seen sales drop from two to one million. The decline has had an impact on coach companies. The transport federation says that the decrease has affected business during the main season - both for excursions during the day and in the evening. Companies have seen profits erode as a result.
Tourism
Sale of excursions has fallen by 50%
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I do not understand complaining about the decrease in the use of buses. Today I wanted to go to Sineu. And the bus did not stop at my hotel, despite the fact that there is a stop here with the information that at 11:25 am there is a bus to Sineu (opposite to the hotel Java) and although I waved my hand to stop the bus. I do not intend to use the bus anymore to sightseeing Mallorca. So maybe: less complaining, and better organization of bus trips...
Proof that Mallorca is not innovative ... they are stuck in old fashioned ways.They also do not recognise that hotels are not the most popular forms of holidays today, but independent travel is --- renting a spacious apartment/villa and hiring a car. Using UBER and Apps.It is a good job that they do have a stunning island as in truth they do not have to work at it. Although they miss out on much tourism during the out of peak season months.
When lots of coaches arrive at a destination I always think..not my kind of place. Also when coaches drive on narrow windy roads it feels threatening. I would suggest innovation is the way forwards. Sell excursions in small minibuses and leave people the choice of where they lunch. People like to be seen as individuals. Drive on a route where people have a couple of hours at several places and can wander around or just eat and drink and take in the atmosphere. Better than lots of cars with only two inside. Imitate the drivers..just stop off here and there as tourists do. Also don't make trips too pricey x2 can be ridiculous and not good value.
When will businesses and hoteliers learn. Things have moved on from the traditional package holiday with a few coach trips taken to alleviate the tedium of laying on a beach. More and more people want their own space, own transport and to eat where an when they decide. And why not ? People save hard all year and want the most from their precious two weeks in the sun, especially the younger generation. Why would anyone want to be herded like cattle into a hotel, being treated with near contempt by hotel staff and then loaded onto a crowded coach just to be ferried to a point of interest with no time to enjoy it because the driver needs to get to the nearest shopping venue to pick up his backhander.
I agree with Steve on this. I have written previously that the tourist tax takes money out of visitors pockets and directly to the government. Basically they have less to spend, so other commercial operations such as cafes ,bars and other activities suffer. Any calculations of spending needs to add an extra percentage on to account for the tourist tax. So when the tourist spend is calculated , the tourist tax should be added on. I suspect by doing that the spend will be greater than previous years.
Between the tourist tax,anti-tourist protests and stories,airport queues,anti-tourist graffiti,being blamed for most of Majorca's ''problems'' and the catastrophic drop in the value the value of the pound against the euro combined with high prices,I rather think that you will get your wish for fewer tourists.
I like this article This means less people in Soller and Port Soller . We see them arrive day after day with their colored plastic bracelets . They walk around, do not spend any money and order one pizza for 4 for lunch. On the other hand being crushed like cattle on the Palma train to Soller then same thing on the Soller tram just to be led on the overloaded boat to Sa Calobra in summer season with 35 degrees can't be that fun can it......
Tourist tax and there is talk of it rising. Better value to be had elsewhere.
Well blame the Hoteliers and their all-inclusive money-grabbing packages. Nobody else makes any money except them, which they syphon put of Spain ar the end of each season, then reform their '60's built hotels on their pals at the Government hand-outs from taxpayers money.Not just allowing, but actively encouraging and promoting the private holiday rental of all types of accomodation is obviously the way forward. Bring business back to excursions, bars and restaurants, supermarkets, and the island in general. Exactly the opposite of what our government is spending our tax money trying to do. Economic Treason.