This week, figures were produced stating that foreign tourist spending in the Balearics in June was up by 14 per cent while the airport handled more than four million passengers last month.
Right, how many of those four million passengers were in transit and actually heading to a final destination? Figures the airport never produces and foreign visitors may be spending but talk to cabbies, retailers restaurant and bar owners and they would beg to disagree. In fact, the small to medium sized retail sector has been complaining this week that takings are down on last year and the summer sales have failed to give them a much needed boost in trade.
I have to say, living in Palma I am not seeing it happen this summer. It is quieter than usual and restaurants which used to full on weekends are struggling.
Visitors may be spending on hotels, Palma is currently the most expensive city in Spain, but they are not splashing out on much else.