Fifty years ago, an order went out from the Spanish Ministry for Information and Tourism. Manuel Fraga, the minister, instituted the "day of the tourist". Resorts were commanded - not asked but commanded - to put on a day of special celebration in honour of their guests. In Mallorca and the Balearics, the press, never knowingly anything less than compliant (it didn't have much choice as Fraga was in censorious and commanding control of information as well), said: "The day of the tourist was celebrated with immense joy. All hotels on the island organised programmes of entertainment, which started in the morning with bagpipe and drum music. The oldest and most typical dishes of the island were served, though lobster was served, too, and that is not the most typical or the oldest. Free accommodation stays were raffled. There were attractions for every taste as well as flowers and music. There was no doubt this day of the tourist was a pleasure. Without being handed a bill, tourists could have fun and also line their stomachs."
Well, perhaps there was just a hint of dissenting comment in that last sentence, but that would have depended on how it was interpreted. Nevertheless, the first day of the tourist was considered a grand success. Similar days were organised for some years after. At some stage, it was clearly felt that there was no longer any need for them. The cost of the lobster probably became prohibitive. Or maybe it was because a successor of Fraga's lost his commander and his job.
Back in the day, they could do things like order hotels to put on days of immense joy. Woe betide any member of a hotel staff who was not wearing a beaming smile all day. A moment of less than total joyousness could have found him or her packed off to the fields for a month's hard labour along with the black marketeers (those who were unlucky enough to be caught and who were small enough fry). It was all a bit Korean, northern as opposed to southern. But there again, perhaps hotel staff were all too happy to get into the mood. The day of the tourist was an expression of gratitude, and those employed in the industry had as much to be grateful for as the lucky tourists who were woken up with the sound of bagpipes, an honour normally only reserved for the Queen when in residence at Balmoral.
While tourist days, since those heady times under Franco, have become ad-hoc affairs, usually to coincide with World Tourism Day at the end of September, there is one resort which has been making a greater contribution to celebrating tourists than any other. And that is Cala Millor. For years now, it hasn't just had a day, it has had a whole week.
In the edition of the local publication "Perlas y Cuevas" from 17 September, 1983, the front page had a headline which read "Cala Millor bay or the humanisation of international tourism". Its editorial spoke of travellers whose lives might be full of traumas who were able to forget their problems because when the party is the party, it is celebrated in Cala Millor. In 1983, it was in fact the fourth tourist week. It was a fiesta that bore a strong resemblance to most other fiestas. There was plenty of sport, some folk dance, concerts by the local band of music, a grand parade of floats, and fireworks which brought the whole week to its climax. There was only one aspect that was conspicuous by its absence from a regular fiesta - religion. Tourism was the religion after all, and it was being fully humanised 31 years ago in Cala Millor.
It's impressive that Cala Millor has been able to keep this tradition for the new age going for as long as it has, but even its efforts can strike one as a little strange. Once upon a time, when tourism was new and everyone's gratitude needed to be conveyed, it was perfectly understandable. But nowadays? Well, perhaps there is in fact even more need. In 1964, tourists were not taken for granted. What has happened since is that they have been taken for granted. Rather than strange, therefore, a week devoted to celebrating tourism is to be applauded, as are tourist days. Alcúdia, which introduced one a few years, celebrates its tomorrow. More strange perhaps is the fact that a day or a week should have to be dedicated to the celebration of tourists. Every day of the year should be a celebration.
In Alcúdia, they give English prominence in the poster for the tourist day, for once an acknowledgement that tourists shouldn't be taken for granted and be expected to understand Catalan or Castellano. Even so, much as Cala Millor's tourist week in 1983 was excellent, the publication was of course only in Spanish.
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