K The high
price of
sunbathing
MINORCA'S Hoteliers' Association, ASHOME has voiced criticisms for the second year running about the high price of sun beds, parasols and pedalos on Minorca's beaches. Although the situation is slightly better than last year, ASHOME believes local councils have placed the price of concessions too high, which means tourists end up footing the bill. Cala Galdana is the most expensive beach, where a day's use of a sun bed or parasol sets back bathers 7 euros.
In Son Bou, and several beaches around Ciutadella, the price per item is 6 euros. The cheapest beaches are those within Sant Lluis and Es Mercadal, where a maximum price of 5 euros formed part of the terms and conditions of the concession.
CONCEMENORCA, the association which encompasses 80% of the groups managing beach services, said it is the town halls who are to blame and that current tariffs cannot be lowered given the high cost of the concessions.
In Son Bou, the control of sun bed and parasol services costs close to 260'000 euros; in Arenal d'en Castell the price is 201'322 euros while in Cala Galdana, this figure rockets to 936'901 euros for all beach services.
ASHOME was also critical of beaches where there were no signs informing users about the cost of renting sun beds or parasols, a move which was requested by both CONCEMENORCA and ASHOME at the end of last year.
K Minorcan
despair at
air
fare
increases
AIR Europa announced late last week that it is to increase ticket prices from between 2 and 4 euros per journey, in response to rising fuel costs. The company connects Mahon with Barcelona and Madrid. The news follows Air Nostrum's decision to raise fares on its routes primarily connecting Mahon and Palma by a similar amount. Numerous protests were quickly voiced upon the news Minorca's Island Council, Minorca's Transport Committee, PIME (representing small and medium size businesses) and AVIBA (The Balearic's Travel Agency Association) called for a lowering of tariffs. Montse Capell of the Transport Committee states the Spanish Ministry of Public Works should pay their share and compensate the losses made by airlines operating within Balearics. Capell reminded that central government already compensates for losses on the high speed train, AVE. Trilla, Minorca's representative from AVIBA, says the price increases are already producing results, with a decline in bookings to Palma. An exasperated Santiago Lafuente from PIME claimed, the smaller islands are as isolated as ever.
Palmabased Futura airline did have some good news for Minorca, however. Having connected the island with Majorca since May, with four weekly flights starting from 45 euros one way, the company announced its plans to continue to offer low priced fares, and that it is to consider increasing frequency.
K Tourists to taste
local products
V ISITORS to 18 of Minorca's hotels have had the opportunity to taste local products over the past three days, as part of a joint initiative by hoteliers and island authorities. Each hotel has hosted a workshop for tourists, starting with a short presentation explaining the different products available, followed by the opportunity to taste the goods. These include Minorcan cheese, honey, gin and local sausages.
Secretary of Hoteliers' Association ASHOME, Juan Juanico explained that the initial plan was to distribute leaflets to visitors with details about local foodstuffs, but that ASHOME expanded the concept to include a tasting session. The idea, Juanico explained, is tourists can taste the products themselves, and may end up buying them. It also encourages product recommendation. Today is the last day of the pilot scheme, but if successful, there are plans to repeat the workshops in hotels in September. The workshops are one of 15 projects forming part of the Balearic Promotion Plan for Agricultural products, which has funding of 600'000 euros for activities until 2007.
K Zapatero meets
Minorcans
SPANISH Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, met with Minorcans on Sunday evening. The island's PSOE politicians and supporters had made repeated requests for Zapatero to make a public appearance, but it wasn't until the last week of his stay that they were met. Details of the event were not finalised until security forces had approved Mahon's Fair and Congress hall as a suitable site. Enabling party supporters to have the chance to see Zapatero in person, free transport was made available from every major town on the island. The evening was an informal one accompanied by Minorcan pastries and live music so that those present could see and chat with the Prime Minister. Upon arrival, Zapatero was flanked by Mahon's mayor, Arturo Bagur, who opened the evening; Minorcan Government Delegate, Marc Pons; Minorca's Island President, Joana Barcelo and PSOE General Secretary in Balearics, Francesc Antich. Joana Barcelo thanked Zapatero for choosing Minorca for his vacation, the island will always be your home she emphasised.
Zapatero made several promises to the Minorcans present. By the beginning of 2005, he ensured that the residents' discount for travel by air or sea would have an initial increase from 33% to 38%; marking the first stage in his electoral commitment to raise this discount to 50%. I like to keep my promises he told those present. Other issues included improving the current public air transport service and increasing resources to help citizens purchase their own homes. Before Sunday's meeting was opened to the public, Zapatero met with the island's socialist mayors from Mahon, Alaior, Sant Lluis and Es Migjorn. But controversially, Es Castell's mayoress Irene Coll, was not invited. She faces possible expulsion from the PSOE following the resignation of party members in protest at her style of leadership. Only by her cooperation with the conservative PP party has she been able to stay in power. Pons justified the decision to exclude Coll, even despite the protests from 75 PSOE party members from Es Castell. Pons said that as the move to expel Coll from the party has not yet been resolved she, doesn't form part of the party anymore.