Big Log

How do you get hotels to stay open in winter? Incentives, plenty of carrot? Or how about the reverse and plenty of stick? Were you aware that hotels have the option to stay open in winter but that many fail to take up that option? Hotel X will be officially listed as six, seven or twelve months of the year, and if it is the twelve, irrespective of whether the hotel does take up the option and is open, there will be a local tax for the off-season months; not a big one but tax nonetheless. This is where the stick, or rather a bigger stick with a pointed end, is due to come in; in Alcúdia at any rate; and in 2011. If the hotel has that option, it is going to be paying a higher tax for the privilege. With that stick hovering, the hope would be that the hotel would actually open. It's a theory, I suppose.

We've been here before. The issue is less one of the hotel staying open as why anyone would want to come to the hotel or whether they would be able to come even if they did want to, and for this latter aspect one has to consider the airlines and the tour operators. It's all very well using the stick of higher taxes to make those hotels stay open - and there is no actual shortage of those with the option - but, with the best will in the world, will people bother turning up? While the hotel itself may be able to conjure up enough by way of food, drink and entertainment, the hotel - by itself - is not a reason to come. It is what goes on outside that matters. And it is the ability of the hotel/hotels - together with the local authority - to put in place packages of things to do that would justify the higher tax. Otherwise it is just punitive, especially if the town hall sits on its backside and doesn't get involved with promotion and proactively assisting in creating attractive packages of events.


More immediately pressing of course is what this season will bring. Tourism minister Nadal's vain plea to the media to avoid scaremongering has been for the most part just that - vain. There again, if the head of the Mallorca hotel federation is willing to feed the media with stories of "worries" then that same media is hardly likely to ignore them. He's at it again, saying that there are these "worries" in Alcúdia and Muro because of the likely problems with the British market. Well, there will always be worries, but it should not be overlooked that one thing both Alcúdia and Muro have going for them is that they are cosmopolitan; the British are important but the tourist market in these places is pretty diverse, more so than, for example, Pollensa. Sr. Horrach, the federation head, is also warning that the hotels can anticipate fewer tourists and lower revenues this year. I think we would be worried if he were to say the opposite.


JOBS VACANCIES - SUMMER SEASON 2009
A first for the blog and probably a last as well. Recession may have hit Spain, but not Mallorca (and that is officially the case), and so employment opportunities flourish - sort of. Anyway, here are positions that I am pleased to offer. Well, not me as such; offering on someone's behalf.

Travel agency requires:

1. Customer service/sales staff

Positions available for season starting mid April until end October 2009.
Duties include providing information to clients, proactive selling of services in our resort offices.
Applicants must be well presented, confident, have a good knowledge of the island of Mallorca, be willing to learn, work well in a small team, flexible with regard to working hours. Languages an advantage.
We provide:
Spanish contract; weekly sales commission; a young dynamic work environment; full and ongoing training.


2. In-house tour guides

Duties include accompanying groups of clients to various points, providing interesting, entertaining commentary throughout the journey, ensuring the welfare of the customers and the success of the day.
Would suit mature person on a part-time basis.
Applicant needs to be physically fit, well presented, confident on the microphone, have a good knowledge of the island.
Applications for both positions welcome to the following email address. Please attach a recent photograph.

summerwork2009@hotmail.com

(Let me just say that, though it may not be clear which company this is, it is a very reputable business and I can vouch for both the company and the authenticity of the posts being offered - just in case anyone might think otherwise.)


QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Spandau Ballet, "True" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYb83KM4at4). Today - Ok, so it's rather bigger than a stick. Who was it?

(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)