Why is the pound in a state of collapse ?

[Armin Tamzarian]

Well, John, we will see if these nightmare scenarios that are being posted with glee turn out to be true.

There is a downtown in visitor numbers, of course. There is a global recession and the tourist industry as a whole is down. With 60 million visitors a year Spain would find it hard to buck that trend.

At the moment the figures for the Costa Blanca are better than those in other areas of Spain, which should be a cause for congratulations, especially combined with the additional marketing which is being undertaken.

The best indicator over the coming months will be the visitor numbers through the local airports as many analysts think that the number of independent travellers will further increase to the detriment of tour operators as a result of the credit crunch.

[Drewth]

I hope this area does see a recovery. Yesterday, I was told a fairly major Irish/British Estate Agency is going to close at the end of next week with substantial job losses. I shall watch to see what happens there. The crunch aided by the collapse of the Pound is hitting this area hard - an area which was built on disposable incomes to a large extent.

[Warrior]

The other trouble is that the wondeful Mr. Brown sold off all our gold reserves early on so we really are in the doo doo. Whatever government comes in after this is going to be up against it. Basically he has bankrupt the country and we will all have to pay for this long after he has locked the door.

You´re right, but this always happens when Labour get in power, they spend what reserves the Tories leave and everything is fine for a couple of years then they have to start borrowing to finance their freebee schemes and leave the next encumbents with a huge debt to sort out. So it goes round again.
Don´t vote ´cos no matter who you vote for the Politicians always win, and you know how much they cost............................!!

[Drewth]

26 Nov 08

Opening numbers today:

£1 = 1.185 Euro
Euro = 84.4 pence

[Britbuild]

Well, John, we will see if these nightmare scenarios that are being posted with glee turn out to be true.

There is a downtown in visitor numbers, of course. There is a global recession and the tourist industry as a whole is down. With 60 million visitors a year Spain would find it hard to buck that trend.

At the moment the figures for the Costa Blanca are better than those in other areas of Spain, which should be a cause for congratulations, especially combined with the additional marketing which is being undertaken.

The best indicator over the coming months will be the visitor numbers through the local airports as many analysts think that the number of independent travellers will further increase to the detriment of tour operators as a result of the credit crunch.

So this is the type of additional marketing that is being undertaken eh ???


Benidorm bosses threaten to fine sandcastle builders in crackdown on beachgoers

Nov 25 2008 By Stephen White
FUN in the sun could Costa holidaymakers dearly in Benidorm from now on.
Among the activities to fall foul of resort officials trying to clamp down on "bad" users is the old favourite of sandcastle building.
That will cost anyone caught in the act a 120-euro fine - the same as for playing with a ball outside specified areas.
And holiday romantics who fancy a moonlit stroll after midnight will find the cost even steeper.
The fine for even stepping on to the beach between midnight and 7am has been set at a whopping 750 euros. The bans are part of 73 new by-laws which expats fear will put tourists off the top resort.
Others include a ban on alcohol on the beach and a 750-euro fine for anyone caught fishing, which rises to 1100 euros if the offender is using a harpoon.
Councillor Josefa Perez said: "This is part of a masterplan to prevent bad users of the beach.
"Anyone caught swimming when the red warning flag is flying will be fined 1000 euros."
Brits Steve and Helen Hezzle, who own a beachfront bar, said: "People come on holiday to relax.
"Kids love to build sandcastles, play ball and swim.
"Families will just not bother and this will have a knock-on effect on everyone in Benidorm.
"We've invested heavily, like other expats.
"This will not help the tourist trade.
"In hard economic times, you would think the council would do everything in their power to attract people."




The Spanish really do amaze me at times !!!!. That is certainly some masterplan

[Britbuild]

And from the Telegraph................

List of misdemeanours and the fines they carry:
• Entering beach between midnight and 7am – FINE: 750 euros
• Placing parasols and towels to reserve space – FINE: 150 euros
• Playing ball games outside designated areas – FINE: 120 euros
• Swimming when the red flag is flying – FINE: 1,000 euros
• Urinating in the sea – FINE: 150 euros . How on earth are they going to police that one
• Building sandcastles – FINE: 150 euros
• Fishing with a rod or net – FINE: 750 euros
• Fishing with a harpoon – FINE: 1,100 euros
• Drinking alcohol on the beach – FINE: 750 euros
• Sex on the beach – FINE: 750 euros



These Spanish are really trying hard to attract tourists in these difficult times aren't they !!!

[John50]

Britbuild - these Spanish know about as much about tourism as I do about.....well, building. With a collapsing market, they are now placing everything in the way of attracting business. No wonder TIBA are describing them as having an apartheid mentality !

Latest analysis:

"Spanish Tourist Arrivals Drop In October


(RTTNews) - Monday 24 Oct , a report by Spain's National Statistics Institute said overnight stays in hotels in the country fell 5.1% year-on-year in October. During the month, tourists registered 22.3 million overnight stays.

Overnight stays by residents in hotels fell 8.7%, while those by non-residents dropped 2.8%.

In the first ten months of the year, overnight stays slipped 0.1% year-on-year to 242.8 million.

Meanwhile, hotel prices rose 0.3% year-on-year in October, representing a decrease of 1.1 percentage points from the same month the previous year.

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com

Copyright(c) 2008 RealTimeTraders.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved"


Aware of this, what do the silly beggars do - slap a 20 euro collection charge on rental cars and introduce silly regulations in Benidorm - a bucket and spade resort which now has unattainable and downright silly aspirations higher than its tallest aparthotel !

[Chrisdee]

I don't think there is a problem really, the only one I think is silly is peeing in the sea. What's wrong with the others?

And from the Telegraph................

List of misdemeanours and the fines they carry:
• Entering beach between midnight and 7am – FINE: 750 euros
• Placing parasols and towels to reserve space – FINE: 150 euros
• Playing ball games outside designated areas – FINE: 120 euros
• Swimming when the red flag is flying – FINE: 1,000 euros
• Urinating in the sea – FINE: 150 euros . How on earth are they going to police that one
• Building sandcastles – FINE: 150 euros
• Fishing with a rod or net – FINE: 750 euros
• Fishing with a harpoon – FINE: 1,100 euros
• Drinking alcohol on the beach – FINE: 750 euros
• Sex on the beach – FINE: 750 euros



These Spanish are really trying hard to attract tourists in these difficult times aren't they !!!

[Britbuild]

I don't think there is a problem really, the only one I think is silly is peeing in the sea. What's wrong with the others?

You might not think there is anything wrong with them, but there will be thousands of prospective holidaymakers, who were contemplating going there on holiday, who will now choose another destination because of them.

This subject made headline news in the UK's newspapers and TV, so most prospective holidaymakers know about it.

Would you take your kids/grandkids to a holiday destination where they get fined for building sandcastles on the beach ?

I doubt it......................

[Chrisdee]

That's exactly what I thought but when I really thought about it, surely they are referring to those sand sculptures that they build and collect money in their buckets for.

You might not think there is anything wrong with them, but there will be thousands of prospective holidaymakers, who were contemplating going there on holiday, who will now choose another destination because of them.

This subject made headline news in the UK's newspapers and TV, so most prospective holidaymakers know about it.

Would you take your kids/grandkids to a holiday destination where they get fined for building sandcastles on the beach ?

I doubt it......................

[Drewth]

27 Nov 08

£1 = 1.192 Euro
Euro = 83.9 pence

A slight improvement for the Pound

[yllig]

Oh for the days of 1.25/1.26 which we thought were bad then!!

I was speaking to a financial adviser yesterday who thought the £ will go back up to around 1.25 and level out there.

I have worked for financial advisers in the past and they are the most optimistic people in the world. Nothing is ever a problem and nothing is every going to go wrong!!!

[Britbuild]

That's exactly what I thought but when I really thought about it, surely they are referring to those sand sculptures that they build and collect money in their buckets for.

Well if they are referring to those, that makes them even more stupid. Those sand sculptures are actually works of art, and an attraction for the resort....

[Drewth]

Message for Britbuild

There's news on an old thread you commenced on the specialist area about an astronomy club and you will see that I have posted on it as well asking where/when. Thought you might be interested.

[John50]

Tonight Pound is 1.195 euros and the Euro is 0.837 pence.