Turn problems into opportunities. This may seem like the maxim from a typical self-help book, but there are times when reality fits this phrase. At least, this is what Sant Antoni hoteliers believe, as they see the good figures recorded this summer as an argument for undertaking the ambitious reforms they believe the town needs.
According to data provided by the Sant Antoni hotel employers, this summer 70% occupany has been recorded with total hotel availability at 80%, results that are not those of a ‘normal’ season but are considered positive, and show that Sant Antoni is a tourist destination with a solid foundation. “We are a destination with a great deal of potential and we are facing a historic opportunity to make the transformation that the town needs a reality,” says Juanjo Planells, vice president of the Hotel Association of Sant Antoni and the bay area.
These figures show that there is life beyond the youthful British tourism which, for years, has been the main client in Sant Antoni and its bay. Thus, the drop in the arrival of British tourists between the ages of 18 and 30 has been offset by the good performance of family tourism.
Turning the model around MEANS HAVING TO INTERVENE in the West leisure area, aN AREA whose management has been a source of controversy.
“New product categories have been created that have allowed us to grow in new market segments. The establishments in the town centre have been upgraded, there are five-star hotels in Cala Gració,” says Planells, who points out that they also expect the season to last until October, spurred on by the “good reception to sporting events and active tourism initiatives”.
Turning the model around means having to intervene in the West leisure area, an area whose management has been a source of controversy.
Planells is clear: “It will be necessary to carry out a comprehensive reform of the West End and change the nature of the businesses. We have to change the nightlife area so that Sant Antoni is not only a better tourist destination, but also a pleasant place to live”.
This phrase refers to criticism that blames the West End for causing the former residents of the old town to abandon the area, as it is impossible to live in this environment, especially at night.
These are ambitious and profound changes that the hoteliers’ spokesperson is clear must be undertaken with the maximum possible consensus: “Here we all have to move forward together. Hoteliers, restauranteurs, shopkeepers, nightlife businesses and also public authorities”. And he added that he believes that the City Council “is in favour”.
Does this mean that British party tourism should no longer have a place in Sant Antoni? Planells clarified this: “Everyone is welcome. The only thing we don’t want is exclusionary tourism, those who, with their attitude, make others feel uncomfortable and not want to come”.
The announcement last Thursday that the British government was keeping the Balearics within the amber traffic light and not ‘punishing’ the islands for the increase in covid cases, has been positively reflected in the number of bookings from the British market.
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