Pollensa Forum - News reports 2018.

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1999	20-02-2018 20:15

News reports 2018.

MDB reporting today a 300,000 euro fine for Airbnb in relation to breaching advertising of unlicensed tourist properties.
Interesting to see if the Balearic Gov can make it stick !!!

clinkham

17-03-2018 23:55

Holidaymakers return to Turkey and Tunisia

Item in todays Times, reporting that

"The number of British tourists planning holidays in Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia is set to double this year amid concerns over a sharp price rise at Spanish hotels." and
"while Thomas Cook is planning to accommodate an extra million passengers in the eastern Mediterranean who would have previously been expected to holiday in Spain"

Full article in News section of The Times 17th March,by Graeme Paton

P&C@29

18-03-2018 10:55

time to move on?

We have come to PP for almost 40 years, but the new attitude to visitors has made us think, is it all worth it. We have stayed in some great private apartments which is no longer allowed, the tourism tax going up and restaurants increasing prices. As an older couple who are not keen on hotels (we prefer S/C )and the Flora type of apartment just don't cut the mustard. Therefore we feel it's time to look further a field to somewhere the authorities want the tourists and dare I say welcome them.

pollensafan

18-03-2018 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by P&C@29 (Post 121694)

I fear you will not be alone. For years the attitude has been, " They will come, come what may".
I also firmly believe that the large Hotel groups who I believe are behind this, also think they will get all that custom from the private rentals.

They will be in for a shock.
Once again the people that spend their hard earned money can see the folly of this, but the fools in power that think it's a good idea can't.

Time will tell who is right and I don't think we will have to wait that long either.

Believe me, there is no one that can possibly have a deeper love of PP than me, for many and varied reasons, but if it's a choice of hotels and complexes or nothing then I'm afraid it will be nothing.

It is a sad Pollensafan this morning :(

Rosie34

18-03-2018 13:11

Agree - we would never stay in hotels in PP - we prefer our indepence and love our October breaks in the port in lovely apartments right in the midst of all the restaurants etc. For summer we rent a villa in the countryside as we like the long evenings in the peace and quiet. But this year, although we will still have our summer in Pollensa countryside, but we are going to Mauritius in October. Sounds exotic but will still miss October in the port, walking along the front for morning coffee or lunch at Capri or ice cream in Valls etc:(

Rupert the Hun

19-03-2018 17:27

Large price increase in Cala San Vicente

Over the last few years I have noticed a dramatic increase in villas in Cala San Vicente, this coupled with the ever increasing tourist tax.
Last year we went to Moraira, south of Valencia. Nice villas at a reasonable price and no tourist tax.
Yet we are back in CSV in July. Ho hum.

scotslizzy

20-03-2018 12:11

Its so sad

I have booked for September but it was a close run thing. PP has always been expensive in comparison to other places we visit and as a result we are only coming for a week when we did intend to come for 2 but the economics of this ( we do enjoy the range of eating out places ) did not work out.

Not every other place we visit has the same feel as PP but equally lots of lovely places to see out there.

Scotslizzy

mike_dublin

28-03-2018 18:09

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...e-full-up.html

Quote:

Thanks to the recent rain, the Cuber reservoir in the Tramuntana has excess capacity and the Gorg Blau reservoir is at 98.6% capacity. Palma's water requirements, 85,000 cubic metres per day, are therefore currently being met by water from the reservoirs and natural supply sources.

The Emaya municipal services agency will for now delay buying in desalinated water.
...
The rain of the past days has meant a dramatic increase in reservoir capacity. On Thursday last week Emaya reported that capacity was at 70.6%. At the end of December the capacity had been 40%. Over a couple of days, therefore, the water level rose by as much as it had done over a three-month period.

Posted via Mobile Device

mike_dublin

17-04-2018 11:54

Caution advised - half the annual rainfall ...

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...-overflow.html

Quote:

The latest rains have filled the Cuber and Gorg Blau reservoirs to overflowing for the second time this year. With more heavy rain having been expected yesterday (correctly so), the government's emergencies department and the 112 emergency service placed a weekend ban on anyone going along the Sa Fosca, Paréis and Almadrà torrent streams. Hikers are being advised to exercise maximum caution.
...
The Aemet met agency has reported that not including rain which fell on Saturday, the accumulated rainfall thus far this year is around half the annual rainfall in Majorca. Since 1 January, there have been an average 259 litres per square metre; the annual norm is 529 litres.

mike_dublin

24-04-2018 10:36

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...y-rentals.html

Quote:

Palma town hall's zoning for holiday rentals will exclude apartments anywhere in the city. José Hila, the deputy mayor for urban planning, says that this prohibition is in order to preserve the right of access to accommodation for residents and workers and is being adopted because of pressures caused by tourist use.

...

By contrast with apartments, holiday rentals will be permitted in stand-alone properties (and presumably semi-detached ones as well) anywhere in the city except on rustic land, around the airport and on industrial estates.

Habtur, formerly Aptur, the holiday rentals association, issued a statement yesterday expressing its profound disagreement with the decision.
...

It adds that since legislation was introduced last summer, the "non-regulated" supply of holiday rentals has decreased by a third but that the cost of renting has gone up by ten per cent.
...

jp	10-06-2018 08:53

https://www.cronicabalear.es/2018/06...t-de-pollenca/

Quote:

A raging fire has destroyed three boats that were docked in the Port of Pollença this morning. The flames have started shortly before 2:30 am in the area of the New Dock without knowing, at least for the time being, the The local police, the Civil Guard, an ambulance and the Bomberos de Mallorca (from the Alcudia parks and one from Inca support) have moved to the site.

The work to control and extinguish the fire have been extended for three hours, until 5:30 in the morning. Three boats have been completely destroyed and, in fact, they have sunk.

Sparky

10-06-2018 10:29

They think the fire was started by lightning.

This reported in the MDB here :- https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...cked-fire.html

mike_dublin

13-06-2018 07:19

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...ive-spain.html

Quote:

According to the German rentals website Holidu, holiday rentals in the Balearics are the most expensive in Spain. The average price per night in the high season is 264 euros and 202 euros in the low season. ...

The website says that an excellent supply of holiday rentals in the Balearics and the holiday rentals legislation, because of restrictions introduced, have led to the Balearics becoming the most expensive region.

Pollensa has the highest prices of all municipalities, not just in the Balearics but in the whole of Spain. There is an average price of 373 euros ...

mike_dublin

16-07-2018 08:20

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/com...ourists-2.html

Quote:

...
There is now a very small but vocal element which appears opposed to tourism at a time when the industry is not exactly blooming. This vocal element must remember that without tourism this island would suffer very badly economically. There are social issues which need to be addressed on the island, but they have nothing to do with visiting tourists. Welcome them please, don’t scare them away.

No one is saying it publicly but in some cases hotels are only 60 per cent full. One hotelier told me this week that he couldn’t understand why the airport figures were so high but his occupancy level was so low. It is a nightmare situation at the moment ...

... but those who wanted less tourism have got their way. Be careful what you wish for.

pollensafan

17-07-2018 11:07

Quote, " Without tourism the island would suffer very badly economically "

If they were giving awards for the understatement of the year, then that would be a gold medal winner with honours. :eek:

Considering the whole island is built on it I'd say that was putting it mildly. A budding Sherlock Holmes the writer isn't.

As for " Be careful what you wish for " Get your own sayings, I wrote that weeks ago.:D

mike_dublin

01-08-2018 07:05

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...alma-halt.html

Quote:

Yesterday's taxi strike in Palma, Calvia and Llucmajor left tens of thousands of people stranded, especially at Palma airport where arriving tourists had no idea that only 10 per cent of taxi drivers would be working from 9am to 2pm.

According to taxi associations, the strike was a total success (a 90% take-up, they said) and further industrial action is not being ruled out.

At the airport, tourists were told that the strike would end at 2pm. Long queues formed and waited for the taxi rank to open again.
...
The Palma EMT airport bus service had a busy morning as did the TIB buses serving certain resort areas.

Palma taxi drivers also blocked city roads with a go-slow convoy as part of the protest to pressurise the national government into curbing licences for services such as Uber. ...

mike_dublin

03-08-2018 07:01

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...inst-uber.html

Quote:

Spanish taxi drivers have called off their days-long strike against services like Uber after Madrid agreed to let regional governments regulate the sector. ...

The taxi strike committee said in a statement that it had called off the work stoppage across Spain after the government said it would allow the country’s regional governments to regulate VTC licences. But it warned that taxi drivers would "remain vigilant" and "return to the streets" if this move does not lead to tighter controls.

Shops and restaurants in Madrid, Barcelona and Palma complained earlier Wednesday of a 15 to 30 per cent drop in sales due to the taxi strike.
...

mike_dublin

07-08-2018 07:09

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...cavations.html

Quote:

Alcudia town hall wants to extend the protected area of the Pollentia Roman town by including the Tanca de Can Domenech finca, which is on the other side of the road that passes by the cemetery and the excavations....

The finca is valued at 1,215,420 euros; it is owned by a local hotelier. The town hall intends applying for funding from tourist tax revenue to acquire it. ...

The whole of Pollentia is estimated to have been some twenty hectares in size and to have connected the major port on the bay of Alcudia with the minor port on the bay of Pollensa. ...

... see full story on the MDB website

mike_dublin

07-08-2018 07:12

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...being-cut.html

Quote:

Another analysis of hotel prices by Minorca-based company Mabrian Technologies points to an average decrease in August prices of 4.6% in the Balearics, the Canaries, the Costa Brava and the Costa Blanca. The company concludes that these reductions have been necessary in order to "reactivate demand in August" and are a response to what was an "unstable July" and a general decrease in the length of overnight stays in Spain during the first half of the year.

...

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...-per-cent.html

Quote:

Hoteliers in the principal resort areas of Majorca are suggesting that average occupancy in August could be down by ten per cent over last year, with July having already pointed to such a trend.

Offers being made would have been unthinkable even as recently as May. In some instances there is 25% off, but even with this reduction the hotels are not being filled. ...

...

Meanwhile, airport traffic has been increasing. The airports authority Aena puts this down to tourists staying for shorter periods, a point that was made a few weeks ago by Alvaro Middelmann,...
Shorter stays mean more people but less hotel occupancy was his point.

... see full articles on the MDB website

mike_dublin

07-08-2018 07:14

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...n-vicente.html

Quote:

Xisco Mas, president of the local residents association, is leading complaints about the number of wild goats roaming freely in Cala San Vicente. He says that the goats pose a threat to people and the general environment, including damage to dry-stone walls. The problem, he adds, is not new but has been increasing in recent years. He blames the environment ministry for its inactivity in tackling the problem.

Goats have been an issue elsewhere in Pollensa, especially in Puerto Pollensa. The closure of a finca and an authorised cull has made them less of an issue in the Boquer area.

...

El Gordo

12-08-2018 09:31

Fines of 200 euros for ignoring Formentor traffic restriction:

Majorca Daily Bulletin

JPALCOVER

12-08-2018 13:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike_dublin (Post 123957)

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...being-cut.html

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...-per-cent.html

... see full articles on the MDB website

Nothing like a few official numbers from the statistical institute of the Balearic Islands:

Estadísticas del turismo-Por islas

These are the official figures for “tourist entries"

2011 TOTAL MALLORCA: 8.926 M (From: Germany: 3.309; UK: 1.899)
2012 TOTAL MALLORCA: 9.174 M (From: Germany: 3.451; UK: 1.986)
2013 TOTAL MALLORCA: 9.480 M (From: Germany: 3.710; UK: 2.106)
2014 TOTAL MALLORCA: 9.650 M (From: Germany: 3.731; UK: 2.166)
2015 TOTAL MALLORCA: 9.978 M (From: Germany: 3.740; UK: 2.229)
2016 TOTAL MALLORCA:10.907 M (From: Germany: 4.188; UK: 2.289)
2017 TOTAL MALLORCA: 11.637 M (From: Germany: 4.434; UK: 2.316)

2017 TOTAL MALLORCA (6 Months): 4.836 M (From: Germany: 1.983; UK: 950)
2018 TOTAL MALLORCA (6 Months): 4.910 M (From: Germany: 1.856; UK: 949)

Difficult to defend the point of view that the trend is downwards!

July and August may be less positive than in previous years, but this still has to be confirmed with "Hard Numbers".

Furthermore, what is more interesting is "revenue from tourists" (as opposed to "number of tourists"). The Illa d'Or seems to have understood that!

Ever since I started looking at Balearic tourism figures in 1986 (after working for a major tourism operator of the island), I do not recall one year when the locals did not complain in the summer that “tourism was going down” and then, lo and behold, when the official figures came out the following year, agree that “it was a better year than last”!

Luckjon

15-08-2018 16:38

Drugs den raid in Puerto Pollensa

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...ugs-swoop.html

Sparky

11-09-2018 09:35

From the UH :-

Quote:

Cala Barques, in Pollença, loses half of its sand, hammocks and parasols for a 'torrenteda.

The beach of Cala Barques (Pollença) lost on Monday half of its sand , hammocks and umbrellas for the effects of the storm that left at dawn important rains in the area. On the beach flows a torrent that dragged rocks and plant material and the force of the water took away much of the beach furniture.

The Neighborhood Association of Port de Pollença (concessionaire of the beach) worked throughout the morning to clear the area as much as possible. It was not the only effect that the storm had in Pollença.

The increased flow in the torrents caused traffic problems in different roads and the release of two large rocks in Cala Carbó, without causing casualties.

The original report can be seen here :- https://ultimahora.es/noticias/part-...orrentada.html

sws97sdg

11-09-2018 19:41

We saw the torrent flowing for the first time ever, never seen it even in the winter

mike_dublin

03-10-2018 07:58

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...disappear.html

Quote:

The holiday rentals association Habtur has presented its submissions related to the Council of Majorca's PIAT plan for intervention in tourism areas. The association considers the plan to be "another measure" against the holiday rentals sector. Its president, Joan Miralles, said yesterday that the current period of government (since 2015) "should have been a time to regulate activity, but instead each step moves towards prohibition".

The most important challenge that Habtur is making has to do with the limit on the number of accommodation places. PIAT is the legislative device for establishing limits, and at present this means 430,000 in Majorca, of which 315,000 are hotel places. There is, however, no mechanism for recovering rentals places for properties that had been licensed prior to legislation coming into effect.

Habtur puts a figure of 90,000 on these places, these all being legal places in stand-alone properties such as villas. The point about these properties is that if an owner decides at some point to withdraw a property from the holiday rentals market and de-registers the places, these places cannot then be made available to any other owner. ...

The association is more positive about policies such as energy efficiency for holiday rentals properties, but it is concerned that some requirements contained in PIAT will mean owners who already have licences having to give them up.

...

mike_dublin

05-10-2018 07:53

https://majorcadailybulletin.com/new...re-easing.html

Quote:

Data from the Balearics Statistics Institute show that the highest number of people on the islands in July was 1,982,406 on the 24th of that month. This was lower than last year's record for July (2,033,640) and also down on the maximum in July 2016 - 1,996,146. If there has been a perception that there have been fewer tourists this year, then the institute's figures back this up.

The numbers for August are not available yet. This is the month when the annual maximum is typically registered. On 9 August last year the figure was 2,078,276. It is unlikely that this will have been exceeded this year.

Over the course of 2018, the trend has been down. The only exception was March. Easter led to a marked increase in the number of visitors.

Statistics for human pressure have been gathered since 1997. In that year the maximum (it was in August) was 1,364,594. The registered population of the Balearics has grown from 796,483 to 1,128,139, the figure at the start of this year. The minimum human pressure so far this year was on 8 January - 1,131,953.

sws97sdg

10-10-2018 06:51

Terrible news overnight, 2 dead and 20 missing in the floods, 200 litres of rain fell per m2, thoughts going out to all affected, terrifying videos and pictures on Facebook, scenes of disaster like you see in other parts of the world and not our beloved Mallorca

Doogz1874

10-10-2018 07:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by sws97sdg (Post 124837)

Just seen some of the footage on Facebook - absolutely horrific.
Already seen other reports showing the number of dead as 4 or 5 and fear it'll only get worse.

sws97sdg

10-10-2018 09:08

Latest reports are 5 dead and 15 missing, so sad!

Reports now saying 2 of the dead are from the UK travelling in a taxi, taxi driver also feared dead

Sparky

10-10-2018 09:41

I am watching the local TV channel IB and it's a scene of devastation, 5 confirmed dead but this might rise, terrible news :(:(.

Sparky

10-10-2018 10:15

Some photos here :- https://www.diariodemallorca.es/mult...nt-lloren.html.

And here :- https://www.diariodemallorca.es/mult...nt-lloren.html

animagic21

10-10-2018 10:25

Very sad news. We landed at 6pm last night in constant thunder & lightning. The traffic in Palma was gridlocked, we had never seen anything like that in nearly 30 years. Our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones.

Rosie34

10-10-2018 11:08

Yes - it is just a frightening situation and just so tragic for the people who have lost their lives. I do hope you both manage to have a relaxing break despite all the terrible happenings.xx

Tommo

10-10-2018 13:27

Terrible terrible news. Just hope that they find the missing soon.

Lorenzo

10-10-2018 22:00

Pollensa Council has announced that there will be a minute's silence held in the Plaza Major in Pollensa tomorrow (11th Oct 2018) at 7pm in honour of the poor people who died in the recent devastating floods in the San Llorenc area.

Sparky

10-10-2018 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorenzo (Post 124857)

Communities always come together in times of need. Rafa Nadal has been helping with the clean up and also opened his sport center to those affected :)

mike_dublin

16-11-2018 08:39

https://www.majorcadailybulletin.com...t-majorca.html

Quote:

A study of housing in Pollensa by Ivan Murray and Margalida Mestre at the University of the Balearic Islands geography department suggests that Pollensa has one of the highest numbers of tourists per inhabitant on the planet.

The ratio is put at 24.76 tourists per municipal resident. Only Ibiza Town in the Balearics exceeds this - 25.56. The average in the Balearics is 10.25. The Pollensa ratio is more than four times that of Barcelona, which is 5.48. As the number of holiday rentals places (legal ones alone) is above the number of hotel places, the data, suggests the study, explain why there is a housing crisis in Pollensa.

The town hall, which was given the results of the study on Wednesday, points to the need to guarantee access to housing and is examining ways of doing this, such as through the building of social housing. There hasn't been any of this for some twenty years. ...

A comparison has been made between incomes from holiday and residential letting, and the study concludes that higher average annual income can be obtained from the latter. ...

The social impact of housing problems has been the loss of 1,103 residents since 2009....

see full article on the MDB website

mike_dublin

23-11-2018 09:03

https://www.majorcadailybulletin.com...les-finca.html

Quote:

There is a new development in the seemingly endless and complicated saga of access to the Ternelles finca in Pollensa.

The biodiversity department at the regional environment ministry is giving its support to Pollensa town hall's argument that it should maintain the right of access to the sea (Cala Castell). This would be in accordance with what was approved by the Council of Majorca in 2006.

The town hall had been giving authorisation to hikers, but the owners (the March family) organised guided visits - the town hall's were not guided - operated by the Mediterranean Wildlife Foundation. The town hall disagreed but since July has not been processing any requests for authorisation.

The environment ministry's support would essentially mean that the situation which existed from 2006 would be revived. There would be a limit on the number of hikers (twenty a day), and the town hall would only place restrictions on access to the Castell del Rei, which overlooks Cala Castell, if this puts the breeding of black vultures at risk. There would also be restrictions if the town hall is advised to introduce these temporarily on conservation grounds.

...

see full article on the MDB website

mike_dublin

14-12-2018 13:43

ETIAS from 2021 for UK travellers

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46564884

Quote:

Britons will have to pay €7 (£6.30) every three years to travel to EU countries, as a consequence of Brexit.

The European Commission has confirmed that while UK travellers will not need a visa, they will need to apply for and buy another document from 2021.

It is called an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) and although not launched yet, is expected to come into force in 2021.

The travel requirement is not just for the UK but for many non-EU countries.

What is the ETIAS?

Citizens of EU countries - which currently includes British people - are able to travel anywhere in the EU.

But anyone from a non-EU country has to apply for a visa - unless they are from a special list of 61 countries, which also includes the US, Japan and Australia.

Nationals from these 61 countries can travel within the EU's Schengen zone - the area where people can travel without border checks - for up to 90 days without a visa.
However, because of the migrant crisis and security concerns over terrorism, the EU has decided to bring in more controls over the countries on this special list.

So it is introducing the ETIAS - an electronic application form - which is Europe's version of the United States' $14 ESTA, although as the EU Commission points out, it is "way cheaper".

It is not a visa but a travel requirement for anyone on that list of 61 non-EU countries who are coming to the EU for business, tourism, medical or transit-related reasons for up to 90 days.

The EU says the ETIAS system will "undergo a detailed security check of each applicant".

What will UK travellers to the EU have to do?

Under the Brexit deal, EU citizens and UK nationals will continue to be able to travel freely with a passport or identity card until the end of the transition period in 2020.

After this period ends, the European Commission has offered visa-free travel for UK nationals coming to the EU for a short stay, as long as the UK offers the same in return.

But although they do not need a visa, UK nationals will need an ETIAS - deal or no deal.

The form will take no more than 10 minutes to fill out, the EU says, and anyone between the ages of 18 and 70 must pay the fee.

The details needed for the application form will include passport information, education and work experience, as well as background questions about criminal records or medical conditions.

...

see full article on the BBC website

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