THUMBS-UP FOR NADAL STATUE Brilliant boost Sorry, we’re full

IN great economic news for the Balearic Islands, AENA has confirmed that airlines have scheduled 4.4 per cent more seats for the summer season of 2023 compared to 2019 (pre­pandemic).

AENA is the airport management group which covers Palma de Mallorca airport. Airlines have scheduled 221.8 million seats and nearly 1.3 million commercial operations in AENA’s network of airports for the summer season, which starts on Sunday March 26.

The airports of Adolfo­Suarez Madrid­Barajas, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona­El Prat, Palma de Mallorca, MalagaCosta del Sol, AlicanteElche Miguel Hernandez, Ibiza and Gran Canaria are the ones with the largest number of seats available.

Palma de Mallorca has seen an increase of 30.3 million seats which is an 8 per cent increase on the year prior to Covid.

The airports of AENA’s network have a total of 2,950 routes scheduled for the summer season, 39 more than in the summer of 2019.

It must be noted that this seating and movement schedule may always be subject to changes by the airlines.

MANACOR tennis ace

Rafael Nadal has approved the plans to build a statue to him in his home town.

As reported by the Euro Weekly News at the end of February, Manacor Town Hall is planning to create a sculpture showing Nadal as he is today sitting alongside a version of himself as a child on the low wall surrounding the olive tree in the Plaza Palau, opposite his family home.

Manacor mayor Miquel

Oliver had requested a meeting with the star to discuss the project, insisting that it would only go ahead with Nadal’s blessing.

Nadal agreed to the plans, with the only condition that the sculpture is made to resemble him as much as possible and that he be granted control of what it looks like ­ particularly the face.

Nadal’s insistence in this regard could be explained

A NUMBER of hotels in Mallorca have stopped taking bookings for Easter as they have already reached their desired occupancy limit.

A surge in bookings from the German market, said to be above pre­pandemic levels, has led to establishments in Cala Millor, Playa de Muro and Playa de Palma hitting their target well ahead of schedule.

Hotel occupancy rates in general on the island are reportedly up by around 10 per cent compared to Easter 2019, with predictions by hotel groups suggesting that average occupation figures will be between 70 and 90 per cent this year.

The peak occupation period, which in some cases has already been met, is set to be between April 6 and 9.

Not all the island’s hotels will be open by Easter, with some waiting until the summer season. However, the Mallorca Hoteliers’ Federation has confirmed that nearly 90 per cent of establishments will be open in April, with half opening their doors between February and March. by previous problems with statues dedicated to other leading sports personalities such as the bust of Cristiano Ronaldo at Madeira airport, which was heavily mocked for not looking at all like the football ace and was eventually replaced.

International tourism associations such as DRV in Germany and ABTA in the UK have suggested that Easter is usually an indication of the tourism situation in Mallorca from May onwards, with travel demands for the summer already being very high.

During the meeting Nadal reportedly also asked that, if possible, the artist responsible for creating the statue should be local to Mallorca.