The champagne was put on ice this week with reports that there had been a massive drop in the number of Easter holidays flights to the island. The alarm bells were ringing. Now, the simple explanation is that Easter falls earlier this year (compared to last year) and therefore holidaymakers were still taking winter/sun breaks in destinations such as the Canary Islands.
But the fall is certainly a blow for the Balearic government and many others who have been busy telling anyone who would listen that Mallorca was on course for yet another record holiday season. Don’t get me wrong, this still could be the case but it was certainly a wake-up call.
The first warning came from the Playa de Palma hoteliers association who claimed that this season would be similar to last year (in other words no major increase). And then this week the bombshell announcement that there were fewer flights. It is not rocket science really.
Germany and Britain are suffering economically, people have less money to spend. There is also greater competition with cheaper, competing resorts in the eastern Mediterranean proving to be popular. My advice to the Mallorcan tourist industry is don’t count your chickens before they hatch ... you can’t have a record season every year.