Majorca has been calling for British tourists to return after UK holidaymakers snubbed the popular destination following a series of protests.
Restaurants, bars and eateries across Majorca have been left empty, leaving a local business figure completely confused.
Alfonso Robledo, president of local restaurant association Majorca CAEB, claimed businesses have noticed a drop in clientele numbers.
He said: “Before there was no difference between Mondays and Saturdays.
“We were always full because people who are on holiday don’t take into account whether it is a working day or a public holiday.”
Robledo added: “This year, however, customers are leaving their dinners or lunches for the weekends.
“We don’t understand what is happening because there are more and more tourists.”
Pedro Fiol, president of the travel agency association Aviba, added: “If it weren’t for tourism, which continues to push these figures upwards, Mallorca would have averages similar to those of an urban destination.”
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He also claimed that “Palma city is dragging these figures down”, claiming: “They don’t order as happily as they used to, especially in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Now they are much more restrained and more careful about what they consume.
“Until now, June had always been a good month, giving a taste of what the tourist season could bring.
“However, this year we are having, in particular, study trips, which has always been the case, and stag and hen parties.”
“These people that do not spend and we are missing the tourists with a medium-high purchasing power who used to visit the island before the massive arrival of travellers in July and August.
“There is less and less porosity between visitors and the island’s restaurants because they already bring the vast majority of their lunches and dinners with them.”
Both comments came after Spain witnessed a surge in anti-tourist sentiment.
Spain’s second-largest city last week declared an all-out war against tourists as 10,000 short-term rentals look set to be reclaimed for housing.
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni said on Friday that the City of Counts would scrap the licences of the 10,101 apartments currently approved as short-term rentals by November 2028.
