New Mallorca Government And Tourism

Things are not fully done and dusted yet - certainly not at the regional government or the Council of Mallorca - but the tourism industry is beginning to get a taste of what the new age of the island's politics has in store for it. Or doesn't have in store. For example, what are we to make of the apparent downgrading of tourism by the new regime in Palma? Tourism, under the Partido Popular, was a specific responsibility of the deputy mayor Álvaro Gijón. Now, it is to be rolled into a combined department with the economy and finance, while the councillor with the tourism portfolio will not even sit on the council's governing board. Moreover, this councillor, Joana María Adrover (PSOE), seemingly has no experience of the tourism industry.

When the council's spokesperson, Neus Truyol (Més), was explaining the first day's work of the new council, she said that they were "very clear as to the centrality of tourism in Palma, but gradually there has to be change to the tourism model." They may be very clear, but her statement was not, while there are certain issues which do require immediate clarification, such as Palma 365. This was an initiative with which Gijón was closely associated. What's the plan for it going forward? Is there one?

One aspect of Palma's tourism for which there does appear to be clarity is the so-called "bikini law". The council's fourth deputy mayor, Aurora Jhardi (Som Palma, i.e. Podemos), who is responsible for public services, has said that the controversial civic ordinance that was introduced last year will be repealed and will be done so as a matter of urgency. An aspect of this was the rule about not wandering around in bikinis (women) or only shorts (men) away from the frontline. It would seem that at some point this summer the rule will be scrapped.

Then there is the Palacio de Congresos convention centre. Despite the most recent internal legal services reports having established that the award of management of the complex by Barceló is sound, there is to be yet another set of reports. Neus Truyol says that new reports are required to ensure that the council would be acting within the law. Meaning that the most recent reports suggest that it wouldn't be? Més, it might be recalled, was the party which was the fiercest in its criticism of the award and had even gone so far as to hint that the Palacio might be demolished.

At regional and Council of Mallorca levels, the divvying up of tourism responsibilities has yet to be decided. As for the government, the absence of Podemos from the executive might allow some in the industry to breathe a sigh of relief, but as we are led to believe that PSOE has accepted a number of Podemos proposals for the new government's programme, does this mean that the eco-tax will be introduced? Més certainly want it to be, though it should be remembered that Podemos, though in favour of an eco-tax, had said that it was something which should be examined in order to assess its economic impact. PSOE have been less committed to the tax.

The Council will almost certainly now rubber-stamp its assuming responsibilities for tourism promotion. Under Maria Salom of the PP, the Council had rejected this, partly on the grounds that it would reintroduce duplication of effort. Thus far, only Ibiza of the four island councils has accepted the responsibilities, the Bauzá government having sought to devolve them to the councils. A sticking-point for Menorca and Formentera has been the financing. It might now be that the new regional government will increase this, and Més has long advocated that the councils should assume greater tourism responsibilities (not just for promotion). In some ways, this might not be a bad thing if there is the funding in place, but it would leave up in the air the role of the Balearics Tourism Agency, which is part of the regional government's tourism ministry.