Green shoots...?

[pollensa]

Don´t want to name names as they may be advertisers on this site but at two of the restaurants in the square the price of the set menu jumped from around 10 to over 13 euros overnight.

This does regularly happen as the summer season starts (& then they often drop again in the Winter). Or maybe they just found that they couldn't maintain the low prices any longer. Our general impression is that businesses are finding it more difficult this year (when it comes to paying us!) but it's very encouraging to hear that new places are opening up as this can only encourage more visitors to the Port and be good for everyone.

 

[Sparky]

I can only comment on the places i frequent and the vast majority have not increased prices for the last 3 or 4 years. Even the taxi fares are the same as they were in 2009, now when you consider how much fuel prices have risen i think that is brilliant and bus fares are also no higher.
How can anyone possibly accuse Mallorcans of "milking any signs of recovery", it just simply is not true.

 

[Gommar Goffer]

It has always been the way that many places put their prices up a bit for the mid to high season - they probably could not survive the year if they didn't. I am sure all of their supplies probably go up in the high season.

 

[Nick]

I definitely think there is more optimism around PP. With the new water infrastructure, road re-surfacing, square refurbishment and people putting money into new ventures it all points to better times ahead.............hopefully anyway!!!!!

And re price increases, I personally haven't noticed any. It would be nice to know which restaurants are doing that because if they are then that is v naughty.

 

[lollipop]

I noticed somebody cleaning one of the empty shop s behind the church this morning. Not sure what it will be but another good sign, and Voss are opening up another shop in the premises on the front next to Mc Callum's.

 

[sws97sdg]

Looks like the figures back up what we have been saying.

BRITISH BOOM
Palma.—It is official, the Balearics is back in favour with the British holiday market.
The latest industry figures, which were released during The Taste of Spain promotion at Canary Wharf at the end of last week, show that during the first four months of this year, 25 percent more British visitors came to the Balearics than during the same period last year.
Over Christmas, reports began emerging from the British holiday industry that Britons were beginning to book their holidays earlier than usual with Spain and the Balearics attracting the most interest, but the market forecasts certainly did not predict such a huge increase so early on in the year.

The Director of the Spanish Tourist Board,. Turespaña, in London, Ignacia Vasallo, told the Bulletin in Palma last week that the region was selling well, but the figures he released yesterday exceeded all expectations and points to a very good summer with regards to the British market with 3.2 million already booked to come to the Balearics.

According to figures produced by airport authority AENA, 245'850 more British tourists flew into the Balearics between January and April than last year and each of the three main islands enjoyed a share of the boom.

However, it is Ibiza which has been leading the way with a 37.4 percent increase in British tourists, 23'529 to be exact.
Majorca
Majorca was the second most popular island with 214'035 British visitors, 24.1 percent more than last year, while Minorca welcomed an extra 8'286 which was 19.1 percent more than during the first four months of 2010.

At the Canary Wharf promotional gig, each of the islands showed off their separate attractions and this appears to be appealing to the British market and giving Britons a better idea of what each island has to offer. Majorca promoted its golf, Ibiza its music and nightlife and Minorca and Formentera their history and local produce.

The Balearic Minister for Tourism yesterday said that the latest figures are extremely encouraging and should inject some much needed confidence in the tourist industry.

 

[Sparky]

More good signs, we called into Bar Rumbo at lunchtime. Had some lovely fresh tapas, 4 dishes, bread and olives plus 2 glasses of wine for €14 .
While we were sat outside we noticed that "Nachos" was being refurbed by the new owners and on the way home walked past what was "The Mousetrap" which is having a facelift and the new owner told me it will reopen next week and will be called "Max's". We know Max (a Dutchman) from many years ago and he said it will be just a bar but they will also be selling snacks.

 

[Nick]

Things are certainly looking up. This has to be good news IMO.

Sparky, I know where the old Mousetrap is but just remind me please as to where Nacho's and Bar Rumbo are - think that may be on one of the back streets where all the locals go?

Cheers.

 

[Sparky]

Nick,
Nachos and Bar Rumbo are both on C/Juan XX111. With Bar Rumbo 2 doors along from the small Eroski/Syp and Nachos just across the road.

 

[Nick]

On the main road in then.....cheers Sparky.

 

[Gommar Goffer]

Sparky - is that Max who used to have Club Tropicana? If so, then the music should be good.

 

[Sparky]

Yep you got it GG, that's the guy.

 

[debz1]

Tropicana ..another blast from the past from about 18 years ago!! We used to love to go to there for an afternoon when the children were younger, and as you say GG the music was great ...as were the surroundings, pool and food. It was one of those places so off the beaten track that it never really became popular with holiday makers ,as they wouldn't have known it was there. We only found out about it through a friend who worked in the Port at the time.

Only prob was the drinks weren't free


It'll be good to catch up with Max again and to see The Moustrap after a facelift..it sure needed it

 

[Nick]

When you all refer to "good/great music", that's a bit subjective. What kind of music are we talking about please?

Cheers.

 

[Sparky]

Nick, only this afternoon just before i saw Max i was told by an expat who has lived here for many years that he has a huge music collection, his exact words were "if you name it he will play it".

 

[Smiddy]

Tropicana? I remember that place, bit out of the way, tho'. Think the guy had been a DJ on Dutch radio, hence the huge "record collection".

Still can't beat a big physical collection of music, feel as if you own something, something to be nutured, be proud of. Downloading music is very convenient, but it's not the same

 

[sws97sdg]

More on yesterdays story, one thing to consider is that if you are thinking of leaving it late to book up, like me! we might find bargains are hard to find if there is an increase of people, maybe worth booking up accommodation etc sooner rather than later!!

Balearics is Spain’s top low cost destination
London.—Last month, the number of low cost airline passengers handled by the Balearics’ three airports rose by 36.8 percent, making the region the country’s most popular low cost destination and further supporting figures released on Saturday that there has been a significant turn around in tourism since the start of the year.
April
With Easter falling last month and the United Kingdom enjoying a bonus two-week holiday, it was the April surge in air passengers which has pushed up the tourism figures for the first four months of the year. According to data released yesterday by the Ministry for Tourism, Commerce and Industry in Madrid, the number of low cost passengers using Palma airport during the first four months of the year rose by 6.4 percent to reach 1'011'399.

But, it is not only the low cost airlines which have been enjoying healthy growth in passenger figures. According to the Ministry’s report, Palma’s Son San Joan airport also experienced a 43.3 percent increase in passengers using scheduled airlines last month. Nationally, the country’s airports handled 9.15 million low cost passengers during the first four months of the year, 22 percent more than during the same period last year.

The figures add further evidence that the Balearics and Spain are very much back in fashion again this year and that more flights should be operating during the winter.

 

[Nick]

Thanks Sparky.....sounds like a nice place for a small beer or 2 then !!

I'll give it a visit next month.