Josep Maria AguilóSEGUIRPalma of Mallorca Updated: Save Send news by mail electrónicoTu name *
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The recent decision of the German authorities to include the Balearic islands between the areas of risk that are advised to not travel represents a very hard blow to the tourist sector of the archipelago. Since yesterday, for example, tour operators germans have begun to cancel their trips to the islands. Germany holds in suspense the recovery of the region, despite the fact that their restrictions are lower than those of Uk .
The next step will be to repatriate gradually to the tourists germans. It is estimated that in these moments there is some 40,000 in Mallorca , which remains his favorite destination. For its part, the Government still see it as possible to be able to save the current season if Germany were to decide to bring flexibility to their current position in the next few days. “That is what we are all looking forward”, stated yesterday the minister of Tourism of the Balearic islands, Iago Negueruela, the autonomous channel IB3. This, in addition, he stressed that the community continues to be “a safe destination” and added that he will make “all efforts” to get “to extend the season as much as possible”.
In that same line of prudence spoke also the president of the Federación Empresarial Hotelera de Mallorca (FEHM) , Mary Border, if well described as “very bad news” for the Balearic islands the restrictive measures taken last Friday by Germany.
Ironically, just two months initial expectations of how they could come to be the current tourist season in the Balearics were reasonably optimistic. So, between the 15 and the 21 of June was carried out with success the pilot scheme of opening of brokers tourist insurance Germany . That plan had been promoted by the Executive who heads the socialist Francina Armengol with the support of the main economic and social agents of the community.
Already, in July, began to arrive at good pace not only to German tourists, but also british and other nationalities. In the specific case of Mallorca, last month opened 57% of the plant hotel , with an average occupancy of 37%. In that context, it was estimated that the situation could surely be something better in August.
Despite the restrictions in germany, yesterday held 155 scheduled flights in the airport of Mallorca
in Addition, the epidemiological data relating to the Covid-19 showed then a very low incidence of infections and active cases in the Balearic islands, below the Spanish average and that of other european countries.
This moderate optimism general began to be truncated, the last 26 of July, when the United Kingdom decreed that all travelers coming from Spain should be stored in a quarantine of 14 days. Subsequently, coinciding with the start of the month of August, it began a steady increase of cases of coronavirus in the Balearic islands, which has fact that now the archipelago exceeds largely the threshold of 50 new cases for every 100,000 inhabitants in the last seven days, the maximum limit set by Germany.
In terms of hotel occupancy in Mallorca in the first two weeks of August, finally, would not have improved with regard to July. Thus, the first provisional data indicate that the plant hotel that was open at these times the island was 56%, with an average occupancy of 36%, which was supposed to have by now a few numbers are almost identical to those of the past month.
Germany, not so drastic
In any case, the decision taken now by Berlin is not as dramatic as that which took Britain, then in principle the tourists germans “only” have to go for a PCR test to return to their country, without ruling out a possible quarantine if necessary. In addition, there is still the hope that these measures can change in a short time. That would be one of the reasons why, for example, yesterday he kept 155 for scheduled flights at the airport palmesano son Sant Joan with Germany .
Even so, the feeling is majority today of pessimism, so not ruled out now same the closure of most of the hotel sector of the Balearic islands before the end of this month of August if the situation does not change. Germany currently has the last word.
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