While hotels are not obliged to close under the Spanish government's state of alert measures, they are being faced with the inevitable. The Majorca Hoteliers Federation and the Association of Hotel Chains (ACH) say that it is not feasible for hotels to remain open. There is no revenue, and so an "unthinkable decision" will have to be taken - and that is to close.
Gabriel Llobera, president of the ACH, said on Sunday that there will be a progressive closure of hotels this week. "We all hope that this situation is temporary and that normality returns, but all the forecasts are very pessimistic."
The president of the Palma and Cala Mayor hoteliers, Javier Vich, observes that such a drastic measure has never been contemplated in the history of Balearics tourism. "But the Covid-19 crisis means we have to act in this way." By Wednesday, he anticipates that 50% of Palma's hotels (forty of them in the centre) will have closed. This will become 100% once all guests have left. Guests who have paid and who wish to stay until the final day of their reservations will be able to. The hotels have an obligation to allow this, but as they note, everything has closed down in Palma and on the island.
Meanwhile, tour operators such as Jet2 will be arranging repatriation flights. Once these have been made, they will cease to operate in Majorca for the time being.
Hoteliers are at present negotiating ERTE terms with employees. The regulations regarding temporary layoffs and/or reductions in working hours apply for 45 days, but these could be extended "if the current situation does not change in the coming months".
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Is the Insotel chain closing as well
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