Majorca, get your act together
Dear Sir,
I have read many times in your newspaper that hotels close, bars close, businesses go broke, the island is like a ghost town during the winter months. Is anything at all being done to generate income to the island during that time? I think the answer is a big fat NO!
I am fortunate to own a house in Majorca, together with my daughter and her family we trip to the island as often as possible.
Unfortunately, not as often as we would wish. We live in Cheshire, equal distance from Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon, Airports. One would think that getting flights at reasonable times and prices to visit our paradise island would be simple. Not a bit of it.
It seems that, unless you live in the south east of England, if you want to spend a few days here and there, during the winter months, it would be a simple matter of making your booking at leisure. No way Jose!
Even though we live near two International Airports, with a population of over 20 million people within a fifty mile radius, flights are like hens teeth compared with the spring, summer and autumn months.
What is the Minister of Tourism for Majorca doing about getting more people to the island during the winter months?
Your beautiful island is more than, Sun, Sea, Sex, and Booze. There are many activities that could be developed for the tourist as well as owners wishing to visit their homes out of season.
If one listens to the Airlines they say, there is not sufficient demand for seats in the winter. Therefore, it is uneconomical to have more scheduled flights than they already have. Surely if landing fees were cut significantly in the winter, this would encourage more flights.
Currently, Easy jet fly to Majorca out of Liverpool only two days per week and the flights cost more than double compared with flights in June! Why? Because the demand is high and they can charge more.
So what’s to be done? The Minister should research activities acceptable to Northern Europeans. Communicate with the airlines to Find a way to get them to operate more flights at reasonable rates, cutting airport fees seems to be the best way to encourage them. Any losses from fees will be more than offset by the money spent on the island by the extra visitors.
I would be delighted to discuss various ways to encourage more visitors to the island during the winter months.
Remember, you may think 12 to 15 degrees is cold, we have 3 or 4 months of temperatures around 4 and 5 degrees during the winter days. Come on Majorca, get pro- active, there’s money to made!
Yours sincerely
Cliff Finch
The expat exodus:cash in the bank
Dear Sir,
Apparently, the latest decline in the number of foreign residents is due to the recession (Saturday DB page 5). Can I suggest, and call me a cynic if you want, but could the fact that the Government wants to know about anything over £50,000 residents have in bank accounts/investments abroad has something to do with the exodus?
Ian Morrison
Portro Colom
A word about drinks
Dear Sir,
The letter published on Saturday the 18th about whisky, the writer should have researched a bit first. Whisky is a worldwide drink, it is not exclusive to Scotland. American, Canadian and Irish whisky are also well known. The list is very long. Vodka, Rum and Gin are spirits exactly the same as whisky. Sangria is different as it’s origins are exclusive to Spain/Portugal. Champaign and Cava are in the same bracket and exclusive to the producers. If you decide to produce a similar drink you have to call it something else or get it approved to use the name on the label. Here on the island they produce “espumoso”, they can’t call it cava. Cognac and brandy are in a similar situation. Brandy is produced in many countries but Cognac is exclusive to the region. The letter must have been written without much thought.
Yours sincerely
Lisa Simpson