Taken For Granted: British tourists

Woe, woe and two times thrice woe. Sice woe. Six per cent of woe. British woe. But this is the woe things go in tourism land. Disaster beckons for the Mallorcan season. The British have yet to make reservations to the same level as last year. Oh woe.

But woh! Or even woah! Wait a moment. British tourist reservations are down by 8% wherever the tourists might be planning on going, and 6% down to Mallorca on what had been a 16% increase in 2011 doesn't sound so bad. And it is only February. 6% might become 2%, it might even become 2% or 3% plus. Joy, joy and thrice joy.

The fall in reservations is being attributed to all manner of things: a tendency to book late; the Euro football championships; the Olympics; the Queen's jubilee celebrations; Dave cajoling Brits to take a staycation in order to enjoy all of this and there being a promotional campaign to back up staycationing; there not being any Balearic money to spend on tourism promotion; anxieties over tour operators (i.e. Thomas Cook).

Some or all of these might be playing a part. Or some or all of these might be playing little or no part. The most important reason is economic uncertainty, but as holiday time begins to loom, there is a tendency for uncertainty to be cast aside and for the trip to the travel agent to be made or the send button to be clicked on the internet booking.

It is reassuring that, in a world where British influence has declined to virtual non-existence, a minor blip in Mallorca's British holiday reservations statistics can cause a seismic shift in the hyperbolic plates of the press. "Big fears", we are told, have been aroused by the six per cent that has gone temporarily AWOL. The big fears stem from the fact that the British rule the waves lapping onto the beaches of Magalluf and Alcúdia, or at least some of the waves, those not dominated by the Germans that is. British imperialism survives, if only in Mallorca, and it wears a pair of Union Jack shorts.

A tremor there may be, but were Brit tourism to be swallowed up, would there be a funeral lament? British tourism, for all that it represents one of the three main tourism markets, has acquired a reputation it never used to have for being tight. This used to be one reserved for the Germans, but now the Brits can claim it. The opprobrium which is levelled at British tourism can commonly be found on Spanish websites: it has no money; it clogs up hospital emergency units because it has jumped off balconies; it has put pressure on town halls' cleaning services because it has vomited all over the streets.

Much as the Brits contribute to a tourism industry and a governmental ability to quote statistics which reveal a picture of rude health tramping through the automatic doors from Palma airport's baggage reclaim, one does wonder as to whether there isn't just a touch of indifference as well as complacency. The Brits will come in good numbers pretty much come what may, but if they are down 6%, then does it really matter? The remaining percentage, or so the increasingly voiced criticism would have it, merely gets ferried off to All-Inclusive Ghetto Land, ne'er to be seen again for a fortnight.

This does, though, rather overlook all the other nationalities heading off in a similar direction. But some of these nationalities are more minted up. The Russians, for example, who can boast a 22% increase thus far for the coming season.

It isn't really indifference. It is more a case of pragmatism. Because someone has spent most of the government's money and left only a handful of euros for tourism promotion, the fact that there are no telly ads for Mallorca is down to what little promotional spend there is being diverted towards the new markets with their promises of greater riches, be it the bling-clanging Russian market or others.

Poor reputation, indifference, complacency, pragmatism, changing priorities, whatever dynamics are at play, Mallorca can nevertheless ill-afford to neglect one of its most populous tourism markets. Not just because this market might ultimately decide that its imperialism is better displayed elsewhere, but also because tourism is meant to be the great motor of the economy, especially in Mallorca.

Tourism, British tourism, is taken for granted. But taking anyone for granted shows a lack of respect. Not all British tourists might command respect, but for promotional effort to be cut back as dramatically as it has been is a false economy. The economy depends on tourism, and tourism, from whichever market, needs investing in.


Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.