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Majorca is one of Spain’s top holiday destinations and is extremely popular with Britons. A leading hotelier has said that tourists shouldn’t come if they can’t afford higher prices.
Antonio Catalán is a leading hotelier in Spain and he operates several hotel chains in Majorca.
Last week, the hotel boss presented Hacienda Son Antem, a luxury hotel complex with 151 rooms.
Catalán said: “There has to be a change in the customer profile. Majorca has plenty of customers and needs to raise prices more.
“I believe as a businessman that if clients cannot pay the price that I have set for a product, they should not come.”
He said that the Balearic islands needed to become even more competitive as a holiday destination.
The hotel boss said that Majorca should become more “selective” and know how to value what it has.
He added: “Four years ago, because of Brexit, British tourists saw the pound devalued by 20 percent.
“But despite everything, they came to Spain, paying 22 percent more for their holidays.”
British tourists have recently experienced another fall in the pound and seen the price of Spanish holidays rise further.
Catalán said: “Low-cost prices imply having low-cost tourists. It’s that simple.”
Majorca is trying to upgrade its tourism offer, including by introducing strict restrictions on party resorts, such as Magaluf.
The once renowned party destination has seen booze cruises banned and tough rules introduced on all-you-can-drink deals.
The hotel boss argued that tourists are “willing to pay anything to go on holiday” and said that prices could rise.
Majorca is already one of the priciest holiday destinations in Spain and rising prices could see some Britons decide to holiday elsewhere.
British tourists already have to pay a tourist tax to visit the island although the regional Government has confirmed the tax will not rise in 2023.
The amount of tax paid depends on the type of accommodation the tourist opts for and the time of year they travel.
Cheaper holiday destinations in Spain include the Canary Islands and the Costa Blanca on the mainland.
The Canary Islands are especially popular during the winter as temperatures are hot all year round.
Spain has also tried to attract “thermal tourists” from the UK. “Thermal tourists” travel overseas to escape the cold weather.
Spanish tourism officials believe that many Britons could be tempted to flee the UK this winter due to rising energy bills.
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