Yesterday, alongside my colleague Humphrey Carter, we interviewed the new Balearic minister for tourism, Bel Busquets. Her no-nonsense approach to the industry is quite refreshing and while she might not the world's leading expert on tourism, she does have some good ideas on how the industry can move forward. On holiday rentals she states that she understands that these have enabled home owners to make money from their properties, which is also good for the local economy, but at the same time she states that it had to to be controlled and that legislation to limit it had to be introduced. On the tourist tax she stated that tourists, through the payment of the surcharge, were helping to make Majorca a better place. On cruise ships she said that the Ports Authority should be careful not to programme too many vessels on the same day.
Some would say that she was sitting on the fence but I find her honesty approach rather refreshing. She is a person who appears to understand. Busquets said that the islands were on course for a good holiday season with quality resorts and hotels helping to overcome the cheap deals being offered by competing resorts in the eastern Mediterranean and north Africa. The tourism minister also said that they would continue to push for more winter tourism. British low season tourism to Majorca this year increased by a record 31 per cent. Full interview in Sunday's newspaper.