Isha Sesay
THE spread of the coronavirus has led to a mass cancellation of cycling holidays in Mallorca.
The Business Association of Balearic Travel Agencies (AVIBA) said a huge proportion of cyclists who were booked to stay at hotels during March and April have now postponed their trips.
Hoteliers specially adapted to accommodate cycling groups in Playa de Palma and Calvia, have reported that the cancellation of reservations has grown exponentially and that they have not received any new bookings in the last few weeks.
This spells disaster for the tourism sector at Easter – last year an estimated 20,000 cyclists from across the world descended on the island between March and April.
“The situation is very delicate and the level of activity from cyclists compared to last year has decreased by 40%.
“Almost all destinations in Mallorca have been impacted,” said an AVIBA spokesperson.
Furthermore, the association reported that reservations made in Mallorca during Holy Week have plummeted by almost half.
They predict that cancellations and postponements of trips will be widespread and will impact Spaniards the most now that the Government has recommended citizens to refrain from travelling unless necessary.
This is a huge blow for the island, as attracting both national and international tourists has been its recipe for growth.
Not only have major events already been cancelled, but all IMERSO trips have now been suspended until further notice on the orders of the Ministry of Health.
The elderly market plays an important role for hotels during the low season and has resulted in a significant number of establishments being forced to close their doors temporarily, according to the Mallorca Hotel Business Federation.
The news comes as two further people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Mallorca, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 10.
Health chiefs say the infected patients are a mother and daughter who recently travelled to Italy and presented mild symptoms upon their return home.
“As they do not show any alarming symptoms, they will be treated at home by the Coronavirus Homecare Attention Unit,” said Dr. Francesc Alberti, the Deputy Director of Hospital Care and Mental Health at Ib-Salut.
Meanwhile, The Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs (IMAS) has implemented a series of actions to prevent the spread of the virus at nursing homes.
This includes each resident being restricted to one visitor at a time and children under the age of 15 being strictly prohibited from coming into close proximity with those who suffer from respiratory symptoms.
IMAS recommends all citizens regardless of their age to follow the preventative measures outlined by the Ministry of Health which includes practicing high standards of personal hygiene and in particular hand washing.
