Economic impact on Ibiza could be huge
THE Balearic “party island”, Ibiza, is set to be one of the worst hit parts of Spain assuming rules on large social gatherings are not lifted during the summer months. The island is almost completely dependant on tourism with little other industry while many who live there make almost their entire annual income between Easter and September, living off these earnings for the rest of the year. Much of this seasonal income is dependent on the iconic super-clubs, most of which have already cancelled their May calendar of events.
Possible proposals to salvage something from the season include the “Move your Spring” campaign which is trying to encourage an extension to the summer season into November. However, regular visitors seem reluctant to book for then with the weather, ongoing uncertainty about the crisis and personal finances all being cited as reasons to give Ibiza a miss altogether in 2020. Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong, largely responsible for Ibiza becoming the clubbing hotspot it is now, said “I think pretty much everybody’s accepted now that there won’t be a season, not as we know it anyway”.
Meanwhile charity Caritas has reported a big increase in the use of food banks and supermarkets have placed trolleys outside stores for donations from shoppers for those struggling to make ends meet.
