Slow Down Hits Top Island Majorca


by John Palmer-7925 - Date: 2008-12-08 - Word Count: 543 Share This!

Tourist officials and business owners in Spain are waiting anxiously to see how popular destinations like Majorca will fare in te year ahead as Europe enters recession. Majorca tourism experts predict a mix of good news and bad for the island.

The island of Majorca has been a favourite with foreign tourists since the 1950s. It was at this time that merchants began working with the government in an effort to boost the economy. They began an aggressive marketing campaign of the island to Europeans, to Germans in particular.

Majorca tourism packages became popular within just a few years. The island now graces the top of the popularity list for holidays. Businesses on the island have relied heavily on this fact for over 50 years for their economic prosperity.

It's little wonder that Majorca businesses panicked when the world economy began to crash earlier this year. The island's population, after all, barely grazes 800,000. Yet it maintains the highest Gross Domestic Product in Spain. Its GDP is, in fact, over 50 percent higher than Spain's average. More than two thirds of Majorca's working population is employed in the tourism sector. Majorca businesses and workers stand to suffer significantly if the economic crunch reaches the island's graceful shores.

It remains difficult to accurately predict just how the economic crunch will affect Majorca tourism. However, tourism watchers have been somewhat pleasantly surprised to date. The numbers of British and French visitors to Majorca have dropped. Despite this, the number of German tourists has actually risen compared to previous years. 'Thank God for the Germans!' says tourism board president Alvaro Middelmann.

The increase in German visitors has somewhat made up for the loss in tourists from other European areas. However, the Germans are also notorious spendthrifts. The money they are spending (or not spending, depending on how one looks at it) isn't making up for the economic losses.

Hotel and resort owners on Majorca remain sceptical. Financial losses haven't been as significant as predicted as of yet. The outlook though is at its lowest in recent history for many of these owners.

Businesses and the Majorca holiday resorts are caught in a conundrum. They are finding it difficult to cover costs as the world market suffers. The rising cost of fuel earlier in 2008 was also eating into profits as the cost of a flight to Majorca went up.

However, many have been reluctant to raise prices to cover the losses. Rising prices are just one more discouragement to tourists. Few despise rising prices more than the Germans, who are currently the staple of Majorca tourism.

Majorca tourism officials and business owners on the island wait to see how 2008 plays out. They continue to make efforts to market the island even as they fear what lies ahead in 2009.

Majorca's natural appeal hasn't changed even though the economy falters. Holidaymakers continue to return home to speak highly of the island. The sun keeps shining and the water sparkling, beckoning those looking for some relaxation. Perhaps Majorca tourism and businesses will bank on this fact as the tourist season kicks off in a few months time, and those holidaymakers who have been to Majorca before remember the good times they had and pull out a map of Majorca to decide which town to visit in 2009.

Related Tags: travel, vacations, holidays, spain, economy, recession, majorca, 2009

Majorca holiday information is available at travel guide yourmajorca.netPalma Airport flight times and a map of Mallorca are both online at the Majorca holidays site.

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