Yet more drugs raids
Is Majorca the drugs capital of Spain? This is an impression one forms, so many are the reports of swoops, raids and arrests. Wednesday's edition reported on another National Police score to go along with all the others in recent weeks. Kilos of cocaine were found, the Son Banya shanty town was raided, as it always is, given that it is the epicentre of the island's drugs trade, and four people were arrested. Yesterday, it was the turn of the Guardia Civil. An operation simultaneously carried out in parts of the mainland netted over forty arrests in Majorca and one hundred in all. Massive amounts of coke plus speed, ecstasy, heroin and dope were seized. And yes, Son Banya was one of the areas raided.
The air traffic controllers
It was a case of here we go again on Tuesday. French air traffic controllers had walked out, as they walk out every week. Twenty-nine flights in the Balearics were cancelled, the Wednesday paper said. There were numerous and lengthy delays for flights that were operating. One of the most affected airlines was Vueling. Its problems with delays and cancellations aren't confined to French industrial action. The national ministry of development, which looks after transport affairs, is considering withdrawing its licence to operate. Brussels is also not happy.
Excursions in Majorca
Tourist movement was therefore being disrupted, and tourist movement in Majorca, said Thursday's edition, is less than it once was. The number of tourists going on excursions has tumbled significantly in the past four years, according to the Balearic travel agencies association. This isn't in fact a new story. The drop in excursion demand was noted a few years back by the association for attractions. It identified, as have the travel agencies, the impact of all-inclusives as a key reason for demand having gone down.
All-inclusives and Brexit
All-inclusives, we were told on Friday, were coming back into vogue (not that they have ever ceased to be in vogue) on account of Brexit. As economic crisis proved, the all-inclusive is a type of touristic haven when financial circumstances are less than favourable. With the pound dropping, so demand among British travellers for all-inclusive was increasing, according to the online service Travelzoo at any rate.
Buried in this report was note of the regional government regulating all-inclusives. What the government is in fact doing is planning inspections of hotels that have not registered their all-inclusive offer. One element of this offer may well be the on-arrival offer of an upgrade to all-inclusive. The precise terms of such an offer under regulations haven't been and still aren't clear, so doubtless there will be more offers to the exchange-rate-deprived Brits.
Weirdly enough, we found out on Thursday that Brexit, far from stopping Brits wanting to live elsewhere in Europe, is having the opposite effect. An LSE study suggested that the number wanting to get out of the UK has gone up by 30% since the referendum vote. Spain is one of the top destinations for Brits unhappy at the leave vote.
Palma police corruption
The Palma local police corruption affair had been threatening to involve senior politicians for some months. It finally did. The names of José María Rodríguez and Alvaro Gijón, both prominent in the Palma's Partido Popular organisation, had been mentioned before the investigating judge officially named them. On Wednesday we looked at the sleaze with which Rodríguez in particular is alleged to have surrounded himself. The judge has now set a date for him to appear before him. The case is a further reminder of why the electorate has lost faith with the PP and has seen Podemos and Ciudadanos as viable alternatives, given their campaigning against corruption.
And finally, there was the weather. It was hot, the Aemet meteorology agency reliably informed us.