Why shouldn’t ordinary folk get some benefit from tourism for a change? Of necessity, Air bnb tourists spend much more on food, in restaurants, in cafes, in shops etc than hotel clients - especially all inclusive. Hoteliers should employ local people in their hotels then extra accommodation wouldn’t be needed. If they can’t, then there are too many, too large hotels and they shouldn’t be allowed to expand. If they do bring staff in from the mainland then they should provide accommodation for their workers within the hotels. Simple! ..But this would eat into the hoteliers substantial profits so, of course, they won’t!

John, the same happens with Spanish kids working in the U.K. when they are attending Spanish clients.

I don't agree that being a waiter is such a difficult job, maybe for the British. You need to have a servitude mentality and happy, carry a tray and plates properly, and to be punctual and smartly dressed. Also it's good to distance yourself from the customer and not cross the familiarity threshold. Looking around you will see that that many British working as waiters here are not good at these things.

I really dont understand the fuss, air bnb has not been out that long really, so what did everybody do before that? Air bnb Hardly reinvented the wheel did it? Reading some of the comments below it takes a certain person to have the skill and attitude of being a waiter and with the summer demand and the weather and very rude tourists now and again it takes a certain skill level to handle that, i for one couldnt do it and sdmire people who do. There has been many a time ive witnessed behavior in restraunts towards staff thats totally unnaceptable and they deal with it admirably. That is a skill. I do not have that skill and if it was directed at me like that i would open them up. Give people that work hard respect they deserve snd that includes waiters as any job dealing with the public can be very difficult indeed.

I must disagree. Anyone can drive a bus or sweep a street. It takes quite a lot of training and have certain social skills to become a good waiter, especially if they have to deal with certain tourists who expect something for nothing. And no, I have never been employed or been involved in the hostelry industry. I have though, run a few businesses, having been self employed for most, if not all, of my working life, the most complicated part of which was finding good staff and keeping them, something that I would like to think I succeeded at.

@Richard Pearson. Bus drivers and road sweepers are among the best earners in Mallorca, they earn more than the average per month, work 12 months a year, have good pensions and full health care. They are NOT examples of the foreign workers that I refer to. Regards working in a bar or restaurant for five months a year doing something that you can learn in a day, is not a profession.

@Richard Pearson. Bus drivers and road sweepers are among the best earners in Mallorca, they earn more than the average per month, work 12 months a year, have good pensions and full health care. They are NOT examples of the foreign workers that I refer to.

Frank, I find your comment unworthy of someone who presumably has enough intelligence to be able to read and comment on an online publication. Working in the hostelry industry is a profession, as is driving buses and sweeping streets. What would you do if there was no one to serve and cook for you at your favourite restaurant ? Do it yourself. I know quite a few members of the younger generation with university degrees who are virtually unemployable, due to their lack of common sense, no basic knowledge of anything any business would want, and a pretty poor willingness to look for a job that they THINK they should be offered. They may have been trained for a so called profession, but for a job ? Nah.

The islands suffer for 6 months of the year, the UK suffers all year. Fed up of hearing the sib story about how busy the Balearics are.

I think its a good idea, its been proven the Air B'n'B effect has ouched up prices in lots of major cities as well. Plus you do need places for staff to stay of the business will have to close anyway, its a balance and it appears Air B'n'B have unsettled that therefore they are now trying ways to bring it back