One In Ten

A headline which reads "Popular Pollensa" is likely to attract you to the story. And in "The Bulletin" yesterday the front page had just such a headline - in large type, 96 point maybe greater. This was a story about a "survey" which lists the top-ten most popular destinations in Europe, as chosen by Thomson clients, of which Benidorm is at number one and Puerto Pollensa, the only Mallorcan resort among the ten, is at number nine. The article pointed out that "long-term favourites" such as Alcúdia are not in the top ten and that the absence of other Mallorca resorts would come as "a blow to Majorca tourism bosses".

Well, if we're talking long-term favourites, then Puerto Pollensa is one such, but more importantly is what - on closer examination - this was all about. This listing, this top ten was based on reviews by clients on the Thomson website. How representative was all of this? Let me tell you how representative - not at all. You can find out yourself: you don't need my word for it. Front-page headlines, want to know the source? Go and have a look - the Thomson site. Seventeen reviews for Puerto Pollensa over three years, 23 for Alcúdia; I didn't bother looking at other resorts. The reviews for Puerto Pollensa were good, only one was really negative. As for the reviews for Alcúdia, they were also good; not as good as for Puerto Pollensa but that was because Thomson came in for a slagging-off. Also, some of the Puerto Pollensa reviews were for villas, which was not the case with Alcúdia. You are, therefore, not comparing like with like.

What on earth is this all supposed to prove? What it represents is that 40 customers over a period of three years or so have been bothered to post some opinions on a website. It does not constitute a survey. A very, very small sample of Thomson clients (how many have there been to Puerto Pollensa and Alcúdia over the past 36 months?) has felt inclined to write something. They have not been asked; therefore, they have not been surveyed. They are self-selecting; they have not been chosen through the application of some research methodology. They and their opinions are not scientific; they constitute a collection of opinions, and a tiny collection at that. And on this basis, someone calls this a survey. No, it is not. If you took this to the likes of the Market Research Society, they'd show you the door and blacklist you from future membership.

It is easy to do this sort of alleged survey. I have done so myself. Three years ago, I trawled through various review sites and came up with what could be described as the best bars and restaurants in Alcúdia. I had intended this for publication, but didn't in the end. Had I done so, however, I would have made it quite clear that it was not scientific, that it was based on selective opinions and that it was really only a starting-point for discussion. As it turned out, or would have done had I published, the "best" restaurant and bar, as in those that received the most positive reviews, were Luna Grill and Cheers/Peach Pit. But then when you think about it, these results would not be surprising. Most tourists stay in the Bellevue area, so they would be likely to opt for establishments in that area. The results, such as they were, proved nothing. And the same can be said for this Thomson thing.

I am unclear as to the motive behind this. It would seem that Thomson have put out the results, as a "spokesman" is quoted, and the main purpose appears to be to promote the review facility from its website on the basis that, as the spokesman and indeed the Thomson website, says: "you've read the brochure, seen the photos and it looks great. But what's it really like?" This is an odd thing, though; it's an admission that the brochure doesn't give you what you want. And some of you may remember that we have been here before with Thomson and its brochure. Remember this: "then walk your dinner off with an evening stroll along the sands or head for one of Alcúdia's bustling bars"? (21 June: John Kettley Is A Weatherman). It was from the Thomson website; it was for the Rio Mar hotel. Where is the Rio Mar? Well, it isn't in Alcúdia, along with the other hotels referred to on the site that are in fact in Playa de Muro.

So, let's just get this straight. Here we have a tour operator extolling the virtue of what its spokesman calls "honest" holiday reports, which does rather beg a question, though I'll leave it to you to work out the question I have in mind. To be fair, we also have a tour operator who is prepared to allow critical comment, as is the case with a review of the Delfin Verde hotel, but do they not want people going there? Far worse, though, is the judgmental nature of the so-called survey - that Mallorca can apparently only have one resort in the top ten and that resorts on the island (Alcúdia, Can Picafort, Cala Bona, Sa Coma, Magaluf, Palmanova, Cala Millor, Santa Ponsa, Calas de Mallorca) are in some way inferior; only one in ten, in other words. Very, very strange.


QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Elvis Costello And The Attractions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpprOGsLWUo). Today's title - some of Birmingham's finest.

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