Speaking at the World Travel Market in London yesterday, the president of the Majorca hoteliers federation, Maria Frontera, called on the Balearic government to "monitor" what is happening with Condor. The airline isn't just "key" to Balearics tourism, it is "vital because of the negative impact its disappearance would have".
The hoteliers want the Spanish and German governments to be in close contact and to ensure that Condor receives additional financing until it is acquired. The airline, which is profitable, has been propped up by the German government so that it can deal with liquidity requirements.
In general terms, the tourism industry in the Balearics is more concerned about the condition of the German market than the British. Frontera added that British tourism seems to be recovering but that there are "unknowns" about Germany. This is largely because of the state of the German economy.
As for competition to the Balearics, there was a now familiar theme at the London travel fair. Egyptian, Tunisian and Turkish representatives were offering an array of incentives to tour operators. For the Balearic hoteliers, there is "little or nothing they can do" in competing with some "unthinkable offers".
For Palma, the 365 Foundation announced that next month it will finalise a plan for attracting American and Chinese tourism. The foundation's manager, Pedro Homar, and Palma's tourism councillor, Elena Navarro, held talks with CTRIP, China's largest online agency. The company's CEO, Jennifer Zhang, said that the aim is attract long-distance tourism from China and the US to Palma, as she knows "there is interest". "These are growing markets which are going to have a significant economic impact."
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