On Monday, a public holiday, I was wandering around Palma and saw to my horror that many restaurants were not open, especially in the popular La Lonja district which was packed with tourists. “Closed for the holiday” was the sign on many doors.
Now, I understand that staff need a rest but it is going to be a long and cold winter and surely it would be better if these businesses cashed in on the tourist season because there are going to be many quiet months ahead. I also spotted that some shops were actually closed for the month of August. Now, if Majorca didn´t rely for much of its revenue on tourism, I wouldn't have given it a second thought, but August is the peak summer month when there are the most number of holidaymakers on the island.
Closing in August is like a carnival shop closing for carnival. Now, if these businesses are satisfied with their takings then ofcourse they can close their doors in August and on public holidays but I suspect that many will soon be claiming that their trade has fallen as a result of the recession. If Majorca wants to get back its top holiday spot position then all businesses would be open during the peak summer months even on Sundays. This is the way forward. Outdated trading practices have no place in the fast-moving tourist industry. The new Balearic government and city council certainly needs to tackle the retail problem in Majorca before it is too late. A wake up call is needed.