The tourist industry in Mallorca is currently facing the “perfect storm”, according to Eduardo Gamero, President of the Mallorca Tourist Board, The Fomento del Turismo de Mallorca, the first private tourism institution in Spain, which was founded in 1905 and is continuing to fight Mallorca’s corner today. However, he admitted to the Bulletin this week that there are many factors which are making life for the industry increasingly challenging, and unnecessarily so in some cases.
“Yes it’s hot, much hotter than normal for this time of year, it’s come so early in the season, and obviously that does not help, but this is something we can do very little about. But if you factor in the increase in prices and the new wave of protests then this is a cocktail for the perfect storm,” he said.
“And what is worrying is that, apart from more and more people thinking twice about coming to Mallorca, as your recent survey shows - (at going to print 60 per cent of 2,300 people said they would think twice about coming to Mallorca because of the protests) - there appears to be a dip in repeat visitors.
More choice
“Granted, no one rushes into buying and going on holiday, there is more and more choice out there and travel habits have changed. But traditionally, Mallorca has enjoyed the highest percentage of repeat visitors than any other destination in the world. People, families, have been coming to the island for generations and we at the Fomento and I hope the authorities as a whole want that to continue.
“The special working group created to involve all the various sections of the tourist industry, public, private and social has met on some 12 occasions now to draw up a 300-plus page document of how Mallorca’s tourist industry and society needs to move forward, but these solutions will take time to filter down the food chain. There are multiple problems and they are not easy to solve, but they are being worked on.
“Although we can’t afford to allow the situation to get any worse, this doesn’t mean taking drastic measures, because the whole dynamics of tourism, of going on holiday, has changed over the past 15 years or so. It was not so long ago when people would come to Mallorca on a package holiday of at least a week with the tour operators taking care of the flights, transfers, hotels and excursions. We’re now seeing people coming for shorter periods - three to five days, for example.
False sense of saturation
“That not only means that hotels need up to three times as many clients to maintain occupancy levels, it also means that the island needs more flights, so those factors serve to create a false sense of saturation. Then we have to factor in the illegal, black market accommodation with people booking low-cost flights and apartments online. That is virtually impossible to control. One thing is negotiating a limit on cruise ships, for example, the other is trying to cap or turn away flights.
“That’s impossible and way out of the hands of the Balearic authorities. It’s a decision for central government in Madrid, if not Europe because we’re part of the European Union and one of the principal benefits is freedom of movement. So it’s very complex, the dynamics have changed a great deal and very quickly,” Gamero explained.
Open all year
“So we need everyone actively and positively involved in mapping out the future. One has to remember that offer creates demand. The more demand we can provide, the better the response. We not only need to diversify more, continue encouraging and promoting sports, gastronomy and culture - not just sun and beach tourism - but also seriously get working on lengthening the season.
“I remember the days when a large number of key resort hotels were open all year round. What we’ve got, and what’s been happening over the past decade or so, is that we have the bulk of the tourists on the island in peak season, a period of four months maximum, and that also fuels the sensation of saturation, mass tourism and overcrowding. So, these are all factors that have to looked at and also dealt with and made to work.
“The steps the Council of Mallorca has taken to tackle illegal holiday rentals and accommodation have to be praised. They will have an impact because it was out of control, and I’m pleased that the message has been received overseas. If people are thinking twice about booking a rental online, which perhaps they don’t know is illegal, after the July 1 registration deadline it may not exist on arrival. That is a step in the right direction. It will root out unfair competition and will steer visitors towards booking with reputable operators,” he stressed.
Gamero also highlighted the need for people in Mallorca, especially the younger generation, to be made aware of just how important tourism is to the island. “It’s something the Fomento has suggested many times over the years - going to schools and education centres and talking to young people about tourism and its importance to Mallorca.
Forced to emigrate
“People need to be reminded that it was not too long ago that their grandparents were forced to emigrate from the island in search of work. Mallorca now enjoys some of the highest wages and living standards in Spain, if not Europe. We have excellent, first-class healthcare, infrastructure, the university, the airport, great bars, restaurants, museums, sporting facilities, a thriving economy and job opportunities. The list is endless and that, for the most part, is all thanks to tourism, but the new generation does not appear to either be aware or appreciate this. So we need to re-educate people.
“Furthermore, because of the high living standards and the wealth generated by tourism, Mallorcan residents are travelling more than ever. I wonder what goes through their minds when they travel to London, Rome, Venice or Paris, for example, not to mention Barcelona and other places in Spain, which are also having to tackle and confront the problem of overcrowding and mass tourism. On the one hand they are happy to add to the problem in other parts of Europe and the world while busy telling everyone not to come and bother them once they are home in Mallorca. Things don’t work that way,” Gamero said.
“I saw a recent cartoon of a person wearing a t-shirt saying ‘I love Paris, I love London etc., but don’t come to Mallorca’. It’s a very naive and selfish approach to take,” he added. And how teenagers, minors, who should be at school learning, are now the spokespeople for platforms which pose a threat to tourism and social harmony on the island are being taken seriously is beyond me. There’s too much social media and not enough reality. As I’ve said, there are pinch points during the peak summer months, which is why we need to prolong the season and ease pressure. If you want to talk about saturation, look at the Mediterranean coast on the mainland to which people can drive or catch a train. There’s no bridge to Mallorca,” he added.
Alternative
“What is the alternative to tourism? Mallorca is an island, it’s too small to have a large thriving industrial economy. What do people want? To return to the misery in which Mallorca lived before tourism? That said, I don’t think the minority protests will have a negative impact on bookings. Granted, they may make people think twice about coming to Mallorca, but the extremely close and deep-rooted relationship the British, for example, have had for generations with Mallorca is too strong to break.
“The vast majority of visitors to Mallorca leave extremely satisfied and when they get home, they tell all their friends and are highly likely to return. Yes, Mallorca has got competition, it always has and competition is healthy. Obviously there are going to be cheaper options and destinations, there always have been, especially in the Mediterranean.
Value for money
“ I remember having talks with hoteliers from Tunisia, Morocco and the south of Italy many years ago. People want and deserve choice. But where Mallorca has to continue thriving and setting an example is by offering value for money. I’m not talking about luxury tourism, I’m talking about people going that extra mile, instead of offering 100 per cent, offering 110 per cent and that can be provided in any establishment, luxury or not. If people want 12 eggs, give them 13. Give clients more than they expect, that’s value for money and that’s how you get satisfied customers who will come back year after year.
“In an ideal world we would have fewer tourists spending more but that is easier said than done, especially in an industry like tourism which is rapidly changing and is very much governed by consumer habits. We need to have an adult conversation about the future of tourism, which I think we are in the process of doing, instead of shouting round the streets,” he said. “No activity is without impact, and any negative effects must be addressed collectively - but without demonising the sector as a whole. Public institutions, businesses, residents, and visitors all have a role to play in this effort.”