© Melissa Chandler
Late night shopping this summer in Palma
Late night Thursdays are back again for another bustling summer in Palma. Last year was the first trial of the late night campaign when museums, art galleries, historic buildings and of course the shops, remained open until at least 11.30pm on Thursdays and 9.30pm Monday to Friday, throughout the summer. The campaign proved to be highly successful with residents and tourists alike.
The Minister of Tourism, Joana Barcelo said the late night Thursday’s attracted thousands of tourists and residents into the city centre last year, and all of the participants from shops to art galleries enjoyed significant benefits from the campaign.
In addition to this summer’s late night openings, shoppers will also be able to enjoy performances from street entertainers, bringing a festival-like atmosphere to the city.
The Chamber of Commerce and the Association of Travel Agents use the late night Thursdays as a promotion tool to market Palma to the Spanish holiday industry. While opening late during the week has been enthusiastically welcomed, some parts of the tourist industry believe that there should be more effort into extending weekend opening hours. Currently, many shops are closed on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays. Having more shops open at these times would encourage business, particularly from cruise ships who often dock in Palma over the weekend.
