MAN IN SAN AN by Martin Makepeace

I’m back on the White Isle after another fantastic ski week in Switzerland. Last year it was the German speaking Zermatt so this time 5 friends and I decided to sample Verbier on the French side.  What’s always interesting when I’m visiting new places is to see how they react to tourism, how they treat tourists and how tourism interacts with their way of life. Ultimately I then compare it back to Ibiza where the resident/tourist conundrum has been a fraught relationship lately.

Every destination has its pro’s and con’s and Switzerland is one of those calm places where everything works. Trains run on time, hot water comes out of the hot tap and nobody seems overly phased by anything (which isn’t surprising with a minimum wage of around 3000 EUR per month). It’s a mature destination comfortable in its own skin that understands it’s role in the tourism deal. They provide a good, professional service and in return the customer pays a premium, it’s not cheap but it’s not obscenely expensive either, although there is that option for the wealthy and the blingtastic wannabes.

What’s interesting about Verbier is that many tourists stay in private rental apartments (a concept that is outlawed in the Balearics), there’s a smattering of hotels such as the luxurious W Hotel but most people that I spoke to were staying, like us, in a private apartment either through an agent or a website such as airbnb or booking.com.  We paid £2500 for 1 week, so for 6 of us it was a little over £400 per person, a very reasonable price for one of Europe’s premier ski resorts.  The quality was OK and it ticked all the boxes without being luxury, you get what you pay for at the end of the day.

The resort town of Verbier itself is charming, the lift system is good linking the 4 valleys, skiing is as challenging as you want it to be with a good selection of runs and amazing vistas. I would strongly recommend taking the cable car up to the top of Mont Fort, where at 3330m above sea level you get the sensational alpine view of the iconic Matterhorn and Mont Blanc, a worthwhile selfie if ever there was one. Skiing back down the steep, bumpy black afterwards is not for the faint hearted so you may decide to go back the way you came. The mountain restaurants we tried (Dahu, Chez Dany, Namaste) were excellent without being mind-blowing (Chez Vrony in Zermatt will take some beating).

The ‘Après’ in Le Rouge, T-Bar and Farinet was fun if a little subdued compared to other resorts (St Anton, Saalbach) with a surprising amount of Brits (including the usual Tarquins and Henriettas using Daddy’s credit card) mingling in with the locals and seasonnaires.  The overriding atmosphere was of a comfortable, laid back resort with nice people enjoying a well earned break.

So how do other destinations such as Switzerland reconcile themselves with tourism yet Ibiza and Mallorca seem to struggle?  I omit the other Balearic Islands on purpose, in fact Formentera and Switzerland could be twins in opposites seasons and Menorca doesn’t seem to worry too much either way.

What Switzerland and other destinations seem to have that the Balearics doesn’t is an acceptance that tourism brings compromise yet they set clear rules so lives aren’t ruined and everyone is expected to follow the law. They aren’t selling their soul, they are embracing the concept and running with it.

Ibiza and Mallorca have shown over the last couple of years that there is an unresolved, perpetual, internal battle with tourism. We want the money and prosperity that it brings but we aren’t able to cope with the complications that inevitable come with it, even if it’s only for half of the year. Some residents, fueled by social media, aren’t prepared to compromise even when most local employment revolves around tourism. We want only a certain ‘type’ of tourism even if we don’t have the infrastructure to support it. Lamentably tourism now seems to be the fall guy for some Spanish resorts that wouldn’t exist without it.

There’s no magic formula though, I’m sure the Swiss are attracted to Ibiza because it’s nothing like their country and vice versa. Switzerland excels in relaxation and wellness whereas Ibiza leads the world in pure hedonism but the Balearics can learn a lot from places like Switzerland. Both are steeped in natural beauty and attract a cosmopolitan crowd with spending power but mismanagement at the highest level means that as beautiful as our Islands are, we are still not reaching the heights that we truly deserve.

“A week is a long time in politics“ – this phrase is attributed to former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Due to the fast changing pace of the political landscape, the fortunes of a politician or political group can change drastically just in the course of a single week and this is very true when you look at the goings on at San Antonio town hall over the last 7 days.

For those who find Ibiza local politics confusing or unintelligible let me try and break it down in a simple and (hopefully) balanced way.

First let’s start with Aida Alcaraz from the socialist PSOE party who is the current councillor for town security, responsible for police and trying to tackle crime on the streets of San Antonio.

Upon assuming office in June 2015 Sra Alcaraz installed Angeles Gallardo as ‘head of security’ at the local police force to try and shake things up. Sra Gallardo took over the day to day running of the local police, using the police chiefs office to do so. Javier Verdugo, the chief of police then accused Sra Alcaraz of undermining him and took her to court claiming workplace harassment saying he was frozen out of important meetings and wasn’t invited to special events.

Sr Verdugo won the subsequent court case and now Aida Alcaraz has personally been charged with the crime under employment law with prosecutors seeking a year in prison, although even if she was found guilty she wouldn’t serve any time under Spain’s complicated legal system.

The current PSOE code of ethics states that if a councillor is charged with a crime then they must resign immediately and fight to clear their name.  Aida Alcaraz has refused to resign and has been strongly supported by her coalition council colleagues and her political party at Balearic level who argue that the resignation rule refers to corruption whereas this case is a straightforward power struggle between a police chief stuck in his ways and a councillor wanting to shake things up to achieve results. The court case continues and Sra Alcaraz has stated that she will not run for council in the next elections.

Now let’s turn to Cristiana Ribas who was elected as a councillor representing the ‘Propesta per las Illes’ (PI) party.

Spanish municipal elections use a proportional representational model, the electorate vote for a specific party who put forward a list of names, 21 names in the case of San Antonio. The votes are counted and then if you have enough votes you assume a seat on the council.

In 2015 (in which I ran as PP councillor) the right wing PP won 8 seats, the socialist PSOE won 6 seats and the left wing Reinicia party surprised a lot of people and won 4 seats. In San Antonio you require a majority of 11 seats to assume control of the council.

The centre right PI party won 3 seats in 2015 thus becoming the power broker and it was down to them to decide which coalition would run San Antonio town hall for the next 4 years. Their historic animosity with the PP party saw them choose to join forces with PSOE/Reinicia forming San Antonio’s first ever 3-way coalition government.

Last week the hard-working Cristina Ribas announced that after a lot of soul-searching she had decided to leave the PI party and become an independent councillor staying within the government team to complete the full term but because she was voted for as a PI party candidate this has caused a dilemma. The San Antonio coalition was a signed pact based on 13 unified councillors from 3 different unified parties.

The PI party has now given the Mayor until the end of January to resolve the impasse saying that as Sra Ribas isn’t a member of the party that was voted into office then she should resign so they can install another one of their members on to the council.

San Antonio Mayor Jose Tur Cires has hit back in the press saying “he doesn’t respond well to threats” and it doesn’t make sense to install a new councillor with only 4 months to go before elections.

Adding fuel to the fire is the pact that exists between all parties (which is delightfully called ‘anti-transfuguismo’) not allowing council members to join other parties whilst sitting on the council. Ribas insists that she will remain independent although it has been reported that she has been offered a place on the PSOE list for the May elections.

There are no winners in this story but it’s a good snapshot of what’s been happening over the last week and today’s monthly council meeting promises to be a tasty affair with the opposition poised to jump on all the negative headlines.

In 2017 the Balearic Islands received nearly 20 million visitors through its airports of which 4.4 million were from the United Kingdom, its 2nd biggest market. When you break it down the numbers for the islands were as follows.

As you can see, almost 1 in 4 people who come to the Balearics are British so anything that affects the UK will, inevitably, have a knock on affect.

So it’s safe to say that the Spanish are more than a little perturbed about Brexit and the implications for the future and more specifically this coming summer. Like most things to do with Brexit nobody really knows what will happen so the continuing uncertainty only fuels the fear.

The Balearics are so concerned about Brexit that they have organised an emergency conference in Mallorca for the beginning of February to discuss all possibilities, they don’t want to leave anything to chance and this signifies how seriously they value the British market and it’s importance to their economy.

In the short term the major problem is the exchange rate fluctuations between the euro and pound. As the pound gets weaker, British tourists will have less money in their pockets so less money to spend. This is also why other destinations such as Turkey, Croatia and Egypt are increasingly more attractive to those on a specific budget. Ibiza isn’t the cheapest of destinations so these little things can have big ramifications.

Even with the continuing dithering the good news is that holidays are sacrosanct to the British nation, carved into an unwritten constitution under ‘thou shall travel’ and Brits are truly great travellers, forever plotting and planning their trips away. One difference that Brexit may bring is the amount of times they travel per year so that sneaky late September trip to the White Isle could be temporarily put on ice.

On the flip side the ex-pat community in Spain are stuck in a bit of limbo until Brexit has been fully resolved. Healthcare, pensions and workers rights are all important issues but these can only be confirmed after Brexit and a no-deal would mean that they are left hanging in the air for an extended period which creates a short term vacuum that many aren’t prepared to risk. Many Brits have already upped sticks from Spain and returned home where their rights are more ring-fenced.

Whether you are a brexiteer or a remainer the continuing political impasse isn’t good but the most important thing to remember is that with over 17,000,000 Brits visiting Spain every year there is plenty of goodwill on both sides to continue the special relationship. This was clearly shown yesterday /21/01/2019) when the 2 countries announced a reciprocal voting agreement which means that Brits living in Spain will definitely have the right to vote in the forthcoming municipal elections on 26 May 2019. This is the first of many agreements that will be made in the coming months and years.

Simon Manley, the British Ambassador to Spain, has been working tirelessly on a big PR exercise popping up up all over Spain and on Spanish TV with words of reassurance stressing that although the UK will be leaving the European Union on 29 March 2019 it still very much values it’s geographical place in the heart of the Europe.

As ever with the Anglo-Spanish relationship there is always a sizeable elephant in the corner of the room in the shape of Gibraltar which could still become a major stumbling block even though the Gibraltarians have consistently voted for their independence under the union flag. Brexit gives Spain a chance to renegotiate their position which has strengthened since the UK referendum.

Amongst all the doomsday predictions and the brexiteer over confidence lies the way forward but come 29 March you can be sure that life will go on with possibly a few disruptions but planes will definitely not be falling out of the skies (remember the millennium bug?).

It’s business as usual for Ibiza and the Balearics safe in the knowledge that we have a desirable product but we can use Brexit as a reminder that we have to work harder to attract all nationalities and not over rely on any one market. Even though Brexit creates uncertainty the British tourist will always be an important player in the Ibiza and Balearic game.

Happy New Year! Now that the extended Christmas holidays are over it’s time to get back to work and focus on the year ahead. We’ve said goodbye to 2018 and it’s now time to embrace 2019.

Every year is a big year for Ibiza but 2019 has an extra edge to it. Local elections that will define the next 4 years, the continuing Brexit debacle, a local residents uprising, a lurch towards polarising politics, a new right wing Spanish party, increased competition from other tourist destinations, an unpopular hotel ecotax. I could name a few more but I’m not here to focus on the negatives, not today anyway.

The Island runs in cycles and there’s no doubting that Ibiza has got itself into a bit of a pickle. A catch 22 situation that requires a long term plan but the local political parties prefer to play petty games with each other, agreeing on nothing and accomplishing very little (but more about that in a forthcoming post).

More importantly, what can be lost in the fog of all the hyperbole and the local political point scoring is just how fantastic Ibiza is as a tourist destination. I’ve just spent 3 weeks travelling around south east Asia and it feels so good to get back, One of the bonuses of getting away is the appreciation of what you have back at home and I can safely say there’s simply no other place on the planet like Ibiza.

We sometimes forget exactly what we have here on the island and more importantly the basic requirements for tourists to come and enjoy the islands in the best way possible. Eating fine foods, taking in the incredible nature, immersing in local traditions, hedonistic pursuits if that’s your pleasure, the best nightlife in the world, swimming in clear blue water or simply lying on a white sandy beach with a takeaway sandwich and a good book. The beauty of Ibiza is and has always been that there’s something for everyone.

Some, of course, will tell you that Ibiza is now only for millionaires and that you have to win the lottery to be able to enjoy the island. There’s no doubting that Ibiza is constantly evolving but thats one of the beauties of the place. I still find the ‘rich only’ notion amusing as I tuck into my sumptuous 9 euro menu of the day then take a long walk on the Cala Conta coastal path to work off the 3 courses and a bottle of wine, stopping for a 1 euro caña on the way back. The best things in life don’t have to cost the earth in this neck of the woods (and I’m not talking about a magnum of grey goose and a pretentious beach club).

Those that know the island also know that you can live like a prince on a paupers wage but you have to be clever and do some homework and I mean real homework, not just follow the Daily Mail or Guardian sponsored travel sections. Look at online forums, ask direct questions, get busy on social media and forge your own path around the island without becoming a sheep with deep pockets. Leave that to the August glory hunters (whose wallets are always welcome by the way).

If you have the notion in your head that you ‘love Ibiza’ and I mean really love Ibiza then in 2019 I challenge you to come over in the low season and discover the real island. Get a cheap flight, stay in a local hotel, go out and meet people, eat inexpensive delicious food, take a walk around the old town or on an empty beach and absorb that special Ibiza vibe that dissipates substantially for a few months over peak summer when everything gets lost in a haze of frenetic greed. Forget what you think you know or what you read in the tabloid, 2019 is the year to see Ibiza in a different light.

I guarantee that the Ibiza you will find is a special place unrivalled in the world and everything you want it to be. It’s there right in front of you, you just have to scratch the surface a little.

You can thank me later!

Tourism has made the Balearic islands and many of it’s native inhabitants rich beyond their wildest dreams but the anti-tourism philosophy and the relentless quest for negative publicity that has been endemic over the last few years shows no sign of stopping.

This weeks addition to the ‘you couldn’t make it up’ list is the news that the Formentera government is pushing forward a new law that may leave you scratching your head in bewilderment.

This beautiful island is the jewel in the Balearic crown and with no airport relies solely on boats to bring tourists to it’s door yet a new maritime law will ban day cruise boats from docking at the only port in La Savina.

Now let that sink in for a minute (pun intended). A tourist island that’s only accessible by boat but doesn’t want day cruises to go there. It doesn’t want to cut back, limit or renegotiate it wants a total ban. No wonder the outside world is perplexed to what the Balearic Islands actually do want.

The new law won’t affect the larger ferry companies such as Balearia and Trasmapi who service the island on a daily basis throughout the year but will affect the 8 pleasure boat companies specialising in day cruises who are hopping mad as the new law will virtually kill off part or most of their business overnight. This week they have been remonstrating strongly with local politicians including Pepa Mari, who’s in charge of transport and mobility at Ibiza’s Island council.

The boat companies claim that the new measures ‘will reduce the quality and diversification’ that Ibiza offers to tourists by depriving them of the possibility of visiting Formentera directly from areas, such as the Marina Botafoch, Playa d’en Bossa, San Antonio and Santa Eulalia.

They have also reiterated that the new decree ‘is an attack on the freedom of business, equity and justice’ saying that 200 jobs could be in serious danger. The boat companies also point out that Formentera companies can still continue to offer day trips to Ibiza so the new law is discriminatory and literally one-way traffic.

The CEO of Mallorca based Meliá Hotels, Gabriel Escarrer, has also waded into the debate saying that the current perception that the Balearic Islands has too many tourists is so widespread that tour operators have asked him if the Balearic Islands ‘wants to commit suicide’ because they do not understand how the islands can adopt so many measures that harm competitiveness whilst at the same time sending out messages that generate uncertainty and transmit a rejection of tourism’.

Meanwhile the local press are reporting that Turkey and Egypt are seeing a 30% increase in demand whilst the Balearic Islands had a near 300,000 drop in British and German visitors in 2018 compared to the previous year. It doesn’t take a rocket science to decipher these numbers, a little common sense can see that people are deserting the Balearics in search of cheaper destinations that value tourism.

Welcome to the Balearics where we only want a certain type of tourist and if you’re ‘lucky’ enough to pass the means test you will be required to pay an extra tax on arrival at your all inclusive hotel which will soon not be allowed to serve alcoholic drinks and by the way don’t even think about that day trip to Formentera!

This isn’t a begging letter, it’s a wake up call. For those who like to avoid these things because it’s ‘not your thing’ or you don’t want to ‘get involved’ it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee.

I’m going to be honest with you, as a foreigner in Ibiza we’re a 2nd class citizen, the authorities will tell you otherwise but that’s the plain truth. That’s the way it is and that’s the way it’s always been but it’s OK because there’s plenty of us in it together.

But here’s the good news, voting in the local municipal elections is your ONLY way to make a real difference in Ibiza. Your democratic right as a citizen of your municipality means that you have the choice of who to vote for, who leads your local council.

I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, that’s a deeply personal decision, I may campaign at a later date for a political party but my passion is to see British & other foreigners at the polling station come Election Day in May 2019, making a difference.

The British in Ibiza are a strange bunch, I know I’m one of them. We’re not terribly keen to ‘get involved’ hoping that others will sort the problems for us. Most Brits don’t even speak the local language very well, a problem when your mother tongue is the worlds language and you can get by without it, although this is no excuse.

Other foreign communities on the island such as the the Rumanians understand the power of the vote and get organised, negotiating with parties and block voting. Clever people those Rumanians.

But let me be clear. As an immigrant It’s all we’ve got.

We can’t vote in the Spanish general election. We can’t vote for the island council. We can only vote in the municipal elections. 1 paltry vote but what a vote it is! The power to help decide who runs your local council and who makes the big decisions that you have to live with on a daily basis.

To me it’s quite a simple analogy. If you don’t vote you forfeit your right to complain. You forfeit your right to have a voice. You’re invisible.

It’s such a simple procedure too. As long as you have a residency card and are registered at your town hall, all you have to do is walk in and fill out a form. Takes less than 5 minutes to do it but it can make a world of difference and the politicians know it.

Nobody knows what will happen in the 2019 municipal elections, history hasn’t been written yet but one thing for sure is that the silent majority will decide as they always do. The silent majority are those who register to vote and make an informed decision but don’t shout about it. These are the ones who make the big difference, just make sure you’re one of them

European citizens have until 30 January 2019 to register to vote at their local town hall. To be able to vote you must have a green residency certificate plus be ’empadronado’.

Live music has played a massive part in the evolution of Ibiza over the last 5 decades, here are 10 Iconic performances.

1. Bob Marley & Wailers at the Bull Ring, Ibiza Town – 28 June 1978

Ibiza welcomed a 33 year old Bob Marley at the very height of his popularity, this became the only concert he ever gave in Spain but curiously it wasn’t a full house as many locals still didn’t know who he was and the 1000 pesetas entrance fee was very expensive for the time. A performance that is still talked about to this day especially as 3 years later Marley would be dead from skin cancer aged only 36.

2. Robert Plant at Amnesia – 13 August 1978

After Led Zeppelin’s 1977 world tour, Robert Plant made his first public performance in a spontaneous jam session in Ibiza playing a number of rock and roll classics such as Johnny B Goode with Phil Carson on bass and a local band called the Feelgoods. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page would return to Ibiza in August 1984, performing a set with Phil May and various members of The Pretty Things at Heartbreak Hotel in Port des Torrent, a club run by Carson.

3. Spandau Ballet at Ku – 10 July 1981

As the New Romantic movement started to take over the world Spandau played a one-off gig at Ku as part of a mini European tour to promote their new single. When the band visited the club the night before the gig they found 3,000 fans waiting for them including the new Basque owners, who released a bull in the club to mark the occasion which ended up in the pool. “We couldn’t believe it, I guess it fitted in with the idea of a club where anything could happen.” said Gary Kemp.

4. Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé at Ku – 30 May 1987

After Queen emerged triumphant from Live Aid their lead singer took a major left turn and teamed up with one of his heroines to record an operatic number. The song was performed live for the very first time in Ibiza with footage being used for the extravagant video. The song would go on to become an anthem for a city and the 1992 Olympic Games.

5. Kylie Minogue at Privilege – Summer 1995

In 1994, as the rave scene faded, the legendary Ku re-opened its doors once again but this time re-naming itself as Privilege. As Manumission and Cream changed the clubbing landscape, Privilege also hosted some live performances including Kylie Minogue in summer ’95 (who had reinvented herself with Deconstruction Records) doing her little sexy stuff on a round stage in the middle of the swimming pool. Unbelievably it fell to the the diminutive Australian to put live performances back on the Ibiza map.

6. MTV at Sa Pedrera Quarry, San Antonio – Summer 1999

In the summer of ’99 as the world was gripped by the prospect of a new Millenium, MTV threw a massive party at an old disused quarry in San Antonio with Paul Oakenfold, David Morales, Faithless, Orbital, the Jungle Brothers and Chicane providing the entertainment for the all-night party. Footage from the night subsequently became an hour-long special for the channel showing raving on the White Isle in all it’s sweaty, blissed-out glory. MTV would return to the quarry for a 2-day festival in 2000 but the 2001 edition was moved to Privilege at the 11th hour after San Antonio Town Hall refused to issue a licence due to noise complaints from local residents (sound familiar?).

7. Artic Monkeys at Ibiza Rocks – 01 September 2007

The Ibiza Rocks product was still in its relative infancy when this gig made the world stand up and take notice. The Monkeys were arguably the worlds coolest band in the world when they performed this intimate gig in front of a thousand people with their mates the Reverend and the Makers as support. As the crowd, including Kaiser Chiefs’ Ricky Wilson, Zane Lowe and Fatboy Slim, looked on a new live music dawn engulfed the White Isle.

8. Lady Gaga at Eden, San Antonio – 24 July 2009

Gaga was at the very top of the tree when it was announced that she would play a one-off promo gig at Eden Nightclub in San Antonio as part of their Wonderland production. Some of the largest queues ever seen in the town saw the club packed to the rafters as her ladyship performed many songs from her debut album. An unforgettable occasion for all those lucky enough to get in.

9. Ibiza 123 Festival with Sting, Elton John, Lenny Kravitz, Labrinth, David Guetta, Fatboy Slim, Tiësto, Tinie Tempah, Steve Angello, Luciano and others – 1/2/3 July 2012

The biggest live music event ever to be staged on the White Isle saw the waste ground next to Cafe Mambo transformed into an amazing venue as promotors ‘Live Nation’ delivered a defining weekend of live music with 3 world superstars as headlining acts. Unfortunately Ibiza’s answer to Glastonbury wasn’t particularly well marketed and met with some local opposition meaning this became a one off event rather than the promised annual occurrence. Ibiza shooting itself in the foot yet again.

10. Avicii at Ushuaia – 28 August 2016

When multi award winning Tim Bergling, better known by his stage name of Avicii, announced his retirement from live shows citing health problems nobody realised that this would in fact be his final ever performance. Tragically one of EDM’s brightest stars took his own life in April 2018, an unbelievably sad end to a glittering career at the age of only 28.

There are few places in the world as conflicted as San Antonio as was proved yet again last night in a meeting discussing how to improve it’s tourism model.

As part of its Stategic Plan the town’s council had invited tourism expert Ricard Santoma from the Ramon Llull university in Barcelona to give examples and background on how other destinations had changed their focus in a positive way.

After a brief introduction by Mayor Josep Tur “Cires”, Sr Santoma got to his feet and was an assured speaker explaining in a simplified manner how you had to give tourists positive experiences over time to change their perception of a destination. He clearly stated that it wouldn’t happen overnight and had to be a collective effort. So far so good.

The packed auditorium was polite in its response although many were scratching their heads with a volcanic food analogy from Sr Santomà but the message was clear, diversify your product, give positive experiences, treat your clients with respect then reap the rewards over time.

Then the real ‘fun’ began. A round table interview was conducted between Mayor Tur, Sr Santoma, Toni Ramon from the San Antonio hotel association and journalist Joan Lluis Ferrer. This was moderated by another journalist Xescu Prats who decided to do it in Catalan.

Now if I tell you that JL Ferrer has written books entitled ‘Trash Tourism’ and ‘Ibiza: The Destruction of Paradise’ you will understand where his mindset is. To put it mildly he is the main San An hater and enemy number 1 to many in the town frequently using the his Diario de Ibiza column to highlight the negatives, never bothering with the positives. Why let the truth get in the way of a San An hating story? He is the self styled expert on British youth tourism who’s probably never been to the UK.

The decision to put Sr Ferrer on the panel meant that the crowd were baying for blood. Mayor Tur gave an impassioned speech on why the tourism model must change highlighting the challenges the town faces but refrained from giving any actual solutions to the problems. It appeared this wasn’t an evening for solutions, only to tell the world what a terrible place San Antonio is.

Every pantomime needs a villain and JL Ferrer was perfect for this performance. His solution to the problems in San Antonio was to close more bars whilst referring to young British tourists as drunks and hooligans.

Toni Ramon did a good job of countering Ferrer’s arguments with his own impassioned speech highlighting how San Antonio is improving year on year especially with the investment coming into the hotel sector.

But the show was stolen by a man in his 70’s sitting directly in front of me who as soon as the floor was opened up to questions stood up and and went into an angry monologue aimed at JL Ferrer. “You have no f**king idea, sitting there telling me how bad my town is”.

“In the 50’s we were starving, then came tourism and now look at us” the crowd started to buzz. The angry man wasn’t finished “San Antonio is a great town and we have always overcome our problems”

Cue spontaneous applause. Some took exception to angry man’s manner but the majority of questions thereafter continued the theme of how precious tourism is to the town.

God only knows what Lloyd Milen, the British Consular General, thought sitting in the front row listening to San Antonio’s finest telling him how much they didn’t like the British tourism they have handed to them on a plate especially after his Brexit meeting in the morning was full of gushing praise for the British market in Ibiza. It was definitely a game of 2 halves.

Nobody seemed to have worked out that people behave as they are treated and that the same San Antonio people who go to Pacha and Ushuaïa behave entirely differently in the West End where they are pushed and prodded like cattle with a wallet.

But that’s San Antonio for you. A town that seems to have forgotten its roots. A town that doesn’t like the only commodity it has, the very same commodity that made it rich beyond their grandparents’ wildest dreams. A town that invites a wolf, in the shape of Jose Lluis Ferrer, into the sheep’s pen. Strange, very strange indeed.

On Friday evening (16 Nov 2018) I was interviewed by Jesus Rumbo for TEF (Television Eivissa Formentera) talking about the Balearic Ecotax levied on all adult tourists staying in licensed accommodation on the islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The full interview (in Spanish) can be viewed via this link TEF interview 16 Nov 2018 but here’s a transcript of the interview.

Jesus Rumbo: Martín, at the World Travel Market there was much talk about the Balearic ‘Ecotax’. Why is there so much controversy about this tax?

Martin Makepeace: This is a very hot subject at the moment, I’ve spoken to my friends (in travel) who were at the World Travel Market (in London) and there was lots of talk about it.

JR: Good or bad?

MM: Both to be honest but I think the majority is negative because it’s a tax that isn’t transparent, the word I hear most is transparency, I think the tourists understand they have to pay but don’t know why or where the money goes.

JR: So it’s a tax they don’t understand?

MM: Yes and my personal opinion is that it’s unfair, if they said it was a hotel tax I can accept it but they say it’s a tourist tax yet the majority of tourists don’t pay it, only those that stay in legal establishments. So there’s a transparency problem plus the tourists that do pay don’t understand.

JR: So in the UK when they are explaining this tax, what do they say, what’s the message?

MM: The message is that it’s an ecological tax, the tax is to improve the infrastructure of the island, they have sold the idea on this theme but this is clearly not the case. Looking at the list of what they are going to spend it on, it’s not all ecological, so there’s a communication problem.

JR: Have you noticed that because of this tax there’s been a drop in business

MM: I think it affects things, we have lots of competition from other destinations and in the end the small things can have a big affect. A family of 4 who come to Ibiza with 2 teenage children could be paying more than 200 euros extra for their holiday which could affect their decision. I don’t like how they apply the tax as it affects the mentality of the tourist (who might come here).

JR: Is there a better way to apply the tax or to explain it?

MM: A tax is a tax but the problem here is they have sold it as an ecological tax and looking at the spending list it’s not. We have problems here on the island with sewage and if they spend it on this then great, it’s improving the island but they aren’t, they are spending it on cathedral windows, 19 houses for social welfare and they are spending it on the San Antonio promenade. I’m very happy that they are spending this money in San Antonio but is this ecological? I don’t know.

JR: From your perspective and the British perspective what a good use of this money?

MM: We have to improve the Islands infrastructure, we have the to improve Las Salinas for example, this is ecological, in the peak months the island is full of people and traffic. The money should be spent to improve the overall experience of Ibiza.

JR: Do you think it was a good idea that the Balearic Hoteliers brought so much attention on the tax at the World Travel Market or did they shoot themselves in the foot?

MM: I think it was a bad thing for Ibiza, now the island is in the press only for the bad things not the good things. The problem is that the hoteliers have been pushed and have had enough (of the tax) and I understand their position. I agree with them because it’s not clear what the money is for, there’s no transparency so I agree with the hoteliers but to go so strong against it in London, I’m not sure that was a good idea.

JR: Is British Tourism ecological and sustainable?

MM: Yes of course, the British love Ibiza, they will always return even with Brexit but as I said before, the small things matter, psychologically they affect us more, with the British the small things are sometimes more important than the big things.

JR: The brand of Ibiza is everything?

MM: The Ibiza brand and product is world class but we have to focus more on the tourist, they are the only commodity we have and I don’t like that we are putting this tax on them.

JR: The last question, in your opinion, do we continue with this tax or get rid of it?

MM: I think we should get rid of it, it’s an unfair tax.  Many people come here and don’t pay anything, we have a rich island yet many people don’t pay any taxes at all, we have to find another way to raise this money, we shouldn’t put it on to the tourist.

NOTE: The Balearic Ecotax is charged as follows (applicable to adults only – 16 years of age and over)
5 star hotels/apts: 4 EUR per person per night
4 star hotels/apts: 3 EUR pppn
1,2,3 star hotels/apts: 2 EUR pppn
Licensed Villas: 2 EUR pppn
Rural hotels: 2 EUR pppn
Cruise boats: 2 EUR pppn
Hostels, pensions, campsites: 1 EUR pppn
10% IVA (VAT) should be added to all taxes
75% discount in low season (01 Nov-30 Apr)
50% discount from the 9th day when staying in the same establishment

1. WEST END WOES AND HOES

The 3am closure of San Antonio’s infamous West End had a wide ranging affect on many not least driving the party crowd to places they’ve never been before and upsetting even more neighbours. This polarising decision by a left wing council (who clearly don’t like the tourism the town has always existed on) created more talk on the West Coast than any other but at least Mrs Fernandez’s cat at number 25 is now getting a good nights kip!

2. CALA GRACIO SHACK ON THE ROCKS

Whilst in opposition, San Antonio’s Deputy Mayor, Pablo Valdes organised a rally against more building at Cala Gracio so when a wooden beach bar miraculously appeared overnight on the rocks and then it was discovered that he had personally signed it off there was the expected outcry from bemused local neighbours and a massive gathering (30 people!) from those laid back tourist lovers from Prou! Instead of standing firm the lily-livered government performed a dramatic U-turn and refused permission for the bar to open even though it had all the necessary paperwork in place. This messy affair is now in the courts with the bar owners claiming sizeable damages from the Town Hall.

 

3. IBIZA TOWN LOSES IT’S HIPPY MOJO?

From hippy hangout to millionaires playground, D’alt Vila and La Marina are still part of a beautiful port full of couture boutiques, eye watering super yachts adorned with helicopters and beautiful people wandering the streets but where’s the transvestites, those outrageous queens demanding attention at every turn, the funky street parades and the quirky individuals who previously defined the islands capital, Mykonos or Croatia maybe? 

 

4. SAN AN DEATHS

There was a time this summer when there seemed to be an avoidable west coast death every few days. The dangerous mixture of very little control (due to very little police presence) and the excessive tendencies of young, mainly British and Irish holidaymakers, meant that San An captured headlines for the very worst reasons over the summer. Interestingly, stats show that youngsters are most at danger on the very first night of their hols where they over indulge far too much. Stay safe people please, it a marathon not a sprint!! 

 

5. ISLAND POLITICS

The last full year before municipal and island elections has seen the gloves come off as all sides weigh into each other with gusto. Island council president, Vicente Torres, declares it a “very successful year for Ibiza” and a thousand small business owners scratch their collective heads in confusion. Ibiza sometimes makes Trumps America seem normal but the 2019 elections will define the Island for the foreseeable future so lots is at stake. With Spanish politics fractured from left to right we can probably expect another coalition council but will it be more effective than the last one. Buckle up and watch this space.

 

6. IBIZA SUPER CLUBS

Las Vegas has Casinos, New York has skyscrapers, Monaco has extreme wealth and Ibiza has the world’s best clubs. Pacha had a big refurb, DC10 is still the purest club on the Island, Eden performed well in their big comeback year (Es Paradis who?) and Hï continued to impress but with daytime fun at Blue Marlin, O Beach and Ushuaia continuing to encroach on the evenings activities it’s been a tough year for some Discotheques (even though they won’t say it). It’s always been a bloodbath but if 2018 is anything to go by then 2019 could get very tasty! We will be watching.

 

7. RENTAL PRICES

Simple economics of a growing population (now over 200K) and a lack of affordable housing has created a ‘crisis‘ that few saw coming however with the government declaring war on apartment holiday rentals, prices have stabilised a little but are still extremely high compared to the average wage (which nobody seems to question with any force). It’s a conundrum that doesn’t look like it will be solved any time soon unless the government start to build social housing, which they won’t.

8. POSTING YOUR BILL ON SOCIAL MEDIA

If you’re not complaining about sky high prices on Facebooks ‘Ibiza Winter Residents’ are you even a bonafide islander? 1 euro for ketchup, 8 euros for a skinny latte, 20 euros for a water……cue 100 comments on why Ibiza has gone crazy and isn’t the place it used to be but begs the question…why not just look at the price list before sitting down at the table? There’s still plenty of places for cheap food and drink on the island but where’s the fun posting about that.

 

9. BREXIT

How will it affect the British on the island? Will Brits have to join a separate queue at the airport (shock horror!)? Will Spanish in the UK be affected? Will there be a people’s vote? Is Boris Johnson a raving lunatic? British Consulate staff are doing their best to keep a brave face and calm the nerves but nobody really knows what’s going to happen (apart from Boris definitely being a lunatic). Don’t you just love Democracy!

 

10. THE NEW SPACE

Self anointed Saint Carl of Playa den Bossa puts out a press release saying a few middle aged men have a dream to ‘build’ a new Space but can’t say anything until 2019 and social media goes into overdrive and the herd have a meltdown . A cunning media stunt, wishful thinking or a genuine proposal?  I‘m smelling something here but hope to be proven wrong especially as Space owner Pepe Rosello would love to open it in San An. Only time will tell but does Ibiza really need any more clubs?