Should Spain say adiós to the siesta?
- By Jamie Dunn -
- Oct 26, 2012
Like many countries, Spain is currently in the midst of an economic crisis. Today’s guest blog asks whether the culture of siesta needs to change in order for the country to survive…
For the past two weeks I have been away on a holiday, spending my time writing a book in sunny old Spain. It’s the first time I have been to Spain since I was a child and this time I looked at it in a totally different light, one that was actually quite worrying.
I’m sure that you will have heard on the news about the economic problems that the country has been faced with recently, well whilst there I saw something that may have added towards this.
Spain is a hotspot for tourism, I go for the sun mainly, but tourism contributes a huge part of income for the economy. With this in mind, I was shocked to see the number of retail stores which were closed - even the car rental place wasn’t open for majority of the time I was there.
I know that there is a huge culture in Spain of siesta, it is a tradition that is followed massively. But you have to ask the question as to what effect it is having on their economy?
Tradition and culture play a huge part in business and there is definitely a fine line between getting the balance right. However Spain should realise that there is a need for change. The country is now at a tipping point, something needs to be altered, otherwise generations will have to live with the consequences on inaction.
The cost of doing nothing is sometimes far greater than the cost of change.
Image by heydrienne on Flickr
By Jamie Dunn. Tweets at @JDEntrepreneur and is the author of new book "Crack On"
This guest blog complies to Virgin.com terms & conditions.
