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GUIDE ON PAGES 24 - 28 ISSUE NO. 1759
21 - 27 March 2019
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Brexit hits hotels
By Joe Gerrard BRITAIN’S withdrawal from the EU has led to a fall in British summer reservations in Balearic Island hotels of between 7 and 8 per cent this year, industry figures said. Figures from the Balearic Islands Tourism Board have shown that reservations for the summer season are down compared to this time last year. The islands have seen the biggest fall in reservations from British tourists of any destination in Spain, the same data showed. Carlos Ruiz, Balearic Islands Tourism Office head in London, said Brexit was believed to have caused the drop while bookings for Egypt and Turkey increased during the same period. He was speaking at the Be-
MALLORCA
FALLING: British hotel bookings are down on last year. fore Brexit conference held by the Confederation of Business Associations of the Balearic Islands (CAEB).
Almost 19,260 British tourists holidayed on the Balearic Islands in January, 4.5 per cent fewer than in the same
month in 2018, tourism board data showed. They spent €16.1 million, 2.2 per cent less than in January last year.
Award for expat services AGE CONCERN Mallorca’s president, Jackie Codd, has been presented with the Empire Medal by the British Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, in recognition of her service to the expatriate community. The award was made at a gala ceremony at the Hotel Gloria in Palma on Monday night, where her hard work for the British and international community in the Balearics over the last 20 years was honoured. The ambassador expressed his gratitude on behalf of Britain for the assis-
tance Jackie has given to hundreds of British nationals, and added that her work has “provided enormous support to the island’s community.” Jackie said she was astounded and very proud, and pointed out that without the help of her team of volunteers and everybody in the institutions and hospitals, she would not have been able to help so many people over the years. JACKIE CODD: Has been recognised for her services.
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CAEB president Carmen Planas, who also spoke at the event, said Brexit was continuing to cause business uncertainty. The economies of Britain and Spain are likely to weaken following the former’s departure from the EU which will impact the Balearic tourism industry, Planas added. Ruiz said an increase in the number of plane tickets offered for flights between Britain and Mallorca during the summer was a positive sign. Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism Bel Oliver told conference attendees that Madrid had put measures in place to preserve as many of
the current arrangements as possible in a no-deal. The CAEB’s event had been necessary so that companies could anticipate and plan for future problems, she added.