By Jason Moore
SO Palma airport is to become even bigger with the departure lounge being extended.
This state of affairs rather gives an insight into what is wrong with tourism at the moment on the island. The airport has to be extended because the number of people coming to the island during the three-month summer peak is increasing meanwhile during the remaining nine months it is in decline. I would say that for nine months of the year the airport is running at below capacity and during the winter months it is like a ghost town. We are lucky in Majorca to have a brand-new airport although it is a shame that there is so much redundant space for a sizeable part of the year. Surely, part of the airport could be used for conventions and conferences which will mean that the Balearic government wouldn't have to go to the great expense of building a new convention centre. Perhaps even trade fairs could be held at the airport during the winter. If there was a greater balance in tourism then enormous airports, new motorways and to a lesser extent new hotels would not be needed. The Balearic government must work long and hard to try and ensure that the summer season does not consist of just three months. Palma airport is a classic example; it is far too big for nine months of the year but too small during the remaining three.