The booking schedule for the upcoming school year at colony houses is virtually empty, a situation causing deep concern within the leisure sector. This standstill is a direct result of the protest by numerous educational centers that have joined the "Stop Educational Trips" manifesto to demand improvements in teachers' working conditions.
Pep Montes, manager of the Catalan Association of Leisure Companies (ACELLEC), stated that actual bookings are "purely anecdotal" and that, unlike previous years, discussions have not even begun. Currently, over 1,300 educational centers in Catalonia and more than 140 in Barcelona have declared their support for the initiative, placing the leisure sector in a critical position.
“"The majority of companies that are part of it will not start their activity normally."
ACELLEC is urging the Administration for flexibility to resume talks with unions and is calling on teachers to recognize that leisure companies are "fellow professionals" and that their activities should not be used as a pressure tool. "You are causing significant harm to the sector," they warned.
While acknowledging the legitimacy of teachers' demands, leisure organizations emphasize that colony houses "are neither the origin nor the cause of the situation" and see themselves as "astonished spectators" of the conflict. The proposed compensation of 50 euros per night for colony stays has been dismissed as "crumbs" by the centers, who seek improvements beyond just financial supplements.
The situation creates uncertainty for the summer and the upcoming academic year. Although an agreement could partially mitigate the damage, leisure companies require a successful summer activity campaign to prepare for a potential recovery in September. "If the boycott were to be reversed at the start of the school year, although difficult, there would be a possibility of recovering a percentage of the colony bookings," Montes concluded, holding onto hope for the sector's future.
