Easter Sunday is only nine days earlier this year (12 April) than in 2019, but this is sufficient for hotels in the Balearics to be planning delays in opening for the season until May.
The president of the Association of Hotel Chains, Gabriel Llobera, says that the earlier Easter means that hoteliers aren’t willing to risk having a few days in April when they have occupancy but will be mostly empty for the rest of the month.
María José Aguiló, the executive vice-president of the Majorca Hoteliers Federation, points to the so-called Easter effect not applying this year.
As a consequence, hoteliers will delay starting employment contracts.The tourism season will therefore be shortened. “The situation is difficult,” she adds, “but that’s how it is at the moment”.
German economy
The earlier Easter is, however, just one factor. As has been stated repeatedly over the past few months, there is the revived competition from other destinations, while Brexit and the German economy are two other potentially negative factors.
Llobera suggests that there may be some hotel chains which opt not to open for the first time, adding that sales of tour operator packages are at a minimum. “It is going to be a difficult year for the Balearic holiday hotel industry,” he believes.
Figures from the Spanish association which coordinates airline slots indicate that at present there will be an eight per cent decrease in seats on planes flying into Palma’s Son Sant Joan Airport between January and April. However, this average rises to 14.5% in March. In terms of flight scheduling, there is an 11% decrease but up to 18.6% in April.
Fall in demand
The Majorca Hoteliers Federation believes that 2020 is going to confirm the fall in demand for the whole of the tourism season and that the figures for the airport back this up.
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I agree that prices are getting higher and higher, The hotels are getting greedy. They are becoming alot higher in prices, than some other countries.
The hotell demands could be changed, if the prizes didn't explode like it does. I started coming to Mallorca 10 years ago, costing 21000 Dkr for a family on 4 persones, now the same trip cost 29000 Dkr, thats an increase on €1200, thats ALOT of money and for the same thing, my salery didn't go up €1200. Tourist tax is also added, where is the limit? I know some of the guests from the hotel i stayed at, that some started with 2 weeks vacation, now the Can afford 9-10 days for the same prize, hmm.
Unless those in the tourist industry be it hotels ,restaurants,bars,transport accept that prices are much more than say Greece,Turkey ,indeed mainland Spain then there will be a year on year decline in tourist numbers and a shorter season.Complacency from the top to the bottom on this beautiful island is staggering.Less tourists = less employment = less to be spent outside of the season because of unemployment. Still you have the tourist tax to balance the politicians books,