This wave of power outages could not have come at a worse time, in the middle of a heat wave and in the middle of the season. The Association of Hotels of Palma Beach (AHPP) has described the electrical failures that have occurred in the Can Pastilla area in recent days as “serious and repeated,” “absolutely intolerable,” and has called for “urgent, effective, and visible actions.” The business association noted that this coincided with one of the weekends with the “highest number of visitors” and emphasized that the consequences have been “particularly severe” not only for the tourism sector, but also for residents and the economy in general.
Hoteliers have noted that “incidents” and “power surges suggesting potential problems with the grid” had already been detected during the week, but have indicated that the situation “will worsen significantly” between July 17 and 19, with power outages that have had “widespread” effects on residents, tourist accommodations, restaurants, shops, and services. The president of the AHPP, Pedro Marín, stated that it is “unfathomable” that in mid-July, in one of Mallorca’s “most important” tourist destinations, “power outages of this magnitude” are occurring. “This is not an isolated incident, but a recurring situation that highlights a serious problem,” they emphasized.
In this regard, they have warned that these interruptions have caused “significant operational difficulties” for hotels, restaurants, and other businesses, as they have affected basic systems, essential services, and the customer experience. Marín has pointed out that this is the “most important time of the season” and that visitors are experiencing “uncertainty, lack of service, and an image that is simply unacceptable,” which is why he has argued that the damage is “widespread” and “affects the entire local economy.”
He also stressed that the power outage in the middle of a heat wave poses a “clear risk” to the provision of services and to safety and well-being. “It is unacceptable that the residents and visitors of Palma Beach are left without electricity in these conditions. It is a problem that affects quality of life and well-being,” he noted.
Legal procedures
Hoteliers have warned that the image being projected abroad is “very negative,” with tourists suffering power outages “right in the middle of the high season,” and have stressed that a destination’s reputation is built “over many years, but can be damaged very quickly by situations like this.” The association has stated that it is already in contact with its legal department to initiate the necessary compensation proceedings against the utility company for the “damage caused.”
For this reason, they have called for “immediate and effective measures to guarantee the stability of the electricity supply” and to prevent this situation from recurring, “especially during a critical period like the high season.” “A tourist destination like Palma Beach cannot afford outages in basic services like the power supply. This is a fundamental issue, not a secondary one,” they emphasized.
