Things didn't exactly go to plan for the Balearics at the World Travel Market tourism fair in London last week. The official delegation left last weekend reminding everyone that they would be promoting low-season tourism to Majorca "because the peak season sold itself" and to some extent this is true. Majorca can't grow any more in the summer, the Balearic government confidently said. But on day one of the World Travel Market there were rumours circulating around the Balearic stand about Turkey and its plan to steal thousands of tourists away from the Balearics with cheap offers. President Francina Armengol said she wasn't concerned. On day two the Turkey story wasn't going away, with hoteliers saying they were worried. And then day three and the bombshell: hoteliers claimed that the islands could lose one million tourists next year because of the increase in the rate of the tourist tax.
So all of a sudden the beautifully crafted plan by the government lost its shape: the summer season was a concern because of the higher rate of the tourist tax, according to the hoteliers. Forget winter, we need to make sure about the summer was one of the urgent messages from London. The euphoria disappeared. But who is right? The local government should be concerned about Turkey but I sincerely doubt that we are going to lose one million tourists because holidaymakers are having to pay a few more euros in tax. Also, until the New Year there will be no accurate figures on the state of bookings. So, we will have to wait and see but the hoteliers are worried.