Crisis, What Crisis?

The Majorcan tourist industry, indeed the whole Majorcan economy, suffers the tremors if the major European economies sneeze. For major, read German and British. The credit squeeze, the emergence of the R-word, even the environmental dimension of cheap flights have all conspired to make the Majorcan tourist industry nervous. Or have they?

One might expect that the economic gloom that has descended on these major economies would mean that the impending season is going to be a disaster. Not so. Talk to hoteliers and to villa agencies, and the situation is pretty buoyant. At least that is the word in the north of the island. It doesn't necessarily replicate itself across the whole island.

But the main threat to this season's tourism industry well-being is neither German nor British, nor - one might add - Scandinavian, Dutch or any of the other markets that contribute to the island's wealth. The main threat is Spanish tourism. And it is a threat that threatens to wipe the self-congratulatory smiles off the faces of the island's tourist authorities which, for the past two years, have revelled in record numbers of visitors. The fact is that mainland Spanish tourism, attracted mainly to Palma and its environs, has been the factor that has led to these record numbers. The British and German markets have been relatively stable.

Nevertheless, Majorca has done well to bring in new markets. The Russians aren't coming, they have already arrived even if one of the tourist authorities' worthies was slightly economical with the truth when saying that the first seven months of last year had seen a significant rise in Russian tourism; he failed to point out that in August it declined just as significantly. But be that as it may, non-Spanish tourism is holding up even if there are hefty discounts being offered and Thomas Cook have been giving the incentive of a free day.

Crisis? You hear one or two say it, but in terms of bookings there is no crisis. Bookings though are one thing. The other is the level of tourism spend once on the island. This has dipped over the past couple of years. Don't expect it to rise this year.

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