In Mallorca on Tuesday, the president of the CEHAT national confederation of hotels, Jorge Marichal, expressed his concern about the progressive increase in air fares. Referring to Spanish tourism specifically, he said that the prices of tickets have meant that there have been fewer Spanish tourists in both the Balearics and the Canaries this summer than last year.
The Spanish government, he insisted, must control the upward trend in prices. "This harms all residents of both archipelagos despite the 75% discount. It is not logical that a plane ticket from the Canary Islands to the mainland costs 800 euros without a discount."
Marichal, who is from Tenerife, and the president of the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation, Maria Frontera, emphasised that air connectivity is essential. Therefore, the cost of travel is key. "This has been proven this summer with the decreased arrival of Spanish tourists in the Balearics and the Canaries." Marichal added that the government needs to apply greater control, because economies and tourism development are at stake.
Asked about the AENA airport authority's taxes, he pointed out that these are the lowest in Europe. "But we don't understand AENA's business model of wanting to raise money with other services that affect passengers and public and private transport operators."
As to criticisms regarding increased hotel prices, he observed: "The final prices do not depend on the hoteliers but on other factors that affect the product."
Marichal, Frontera and others had gathered at the Son Bonet Aerodrome in Marratxi for a presentation in advance of the hotel industry's national congress. This will take place in Palma on November 22 to 24. Son Bonet was symbolic, as it was where tourists started to arrive in July 1946.