DEAR SIR,
THE receipt which accompanied this letter (not printed) demonstrates what many of your correspondents have been saying: as numbers of visitors to Majorca are falling, local businesses are following a suicidal policy of raising their prices to maintain their profits.
3.70 euros for a Cappuccino; 2.15 euros for a croissant and 2.40 for a cup of tea is extortionate. This was not in one of those expensive chain cafes and it is now not an uncommon cost.
But just think what this means to a family of four, coming to Majorca for a two week holiday. They may have to spend around 470 euros to hire a car; if they have a coffee, tea and soft drinks for the children each day, as they explore the island, they will be spending around 18 euros a day (another 250 euros) before they pay for meals and a hotel.
Some shops are charging as much as 2 euros for a third of a litre of water, an essential if you go to the beach, so lets say another 8 euros (112 euros). If they eat out in a middle rank restaurant, twice each week, have some wine and, again, soft drinks for the children, they are probably going to be spending $20 euros a head (320 euros).
It is easy in Majorca to pay much more these days. Flights because of rising taxes and fewer services, are getting more and more expensive and even booking well ahead, a return flight from the UK will work out around 160 euros per person (640 euros). And all this without the cost of the hotel or meals on the other ten days.
Meanwhile, your Government makes it hard for people to rent out their apartments and villas, which reduces the options to reduce costs. So our family of four has spent over 1'000 euros without a hotel or ten days of food. If this continues it will be R.I.P Majorca tourism.
Yours,
Peter Ashworth, Bolton
DEAR SIR,
WHO IS INCOHERENT?
IN Tuesday's edition Mr Ray Fleming charged that the UK Defense Secretary Mitchell was at odds with the Development Minister Fox. Yet within a few hours of landing Mr Fox and Mr Mitchell had made conflicting statements. But they did not.
Mr Mitchell described the goal of British policy, freeing British interests from threats, while Mr Fox described the means of attaining that goal, establishing a functioning native government. The lack coherency complained consists more of a tin ear listening than in garbled tongues speaking.
Roland Amaral, Inca