Concerned tourism bosses in Spain are winning the battle for European holidaymakers, with an impressive 5 per cent rise in visitor numbers for 2007 so far.
The country welcomed over ten million holiday makers in January, February and March – normally viewed as off peak months.
The highest number of visitors came from the United Kingdom, followed closely by Germany.
It was mainly due to the Germans that the numbers were up, as the number of British arrivals actually showed a slight drop, while more than 6 per cent extra visitors from Germany ensured a good start for 2007 for Spain.
The Canary Islands were the most popular part of Spain. Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura enjoy warm winters due to their geographical location near Africa, and have a strong appeal for Britons facing their winter.
The Costa del Sol, a perennial favourite of the British seeking a winter sunshine break enjoyed a boost in arrivals.
The Balearic Island also recorded a rise in visitors.
The Balearics consist of Menorca (the smallest island), Majorca and Ibiza. The small rise compared to the Canary Islands isn’t too much of a surprise as Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinantions, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for some time to come.
How the second quarter official figures go remains to be seen, but Spain could see a further drop in British arrivals compared to last year.
An unusually warm spell of weather for five weeks in April in the UK could mean that more Brits have booked summer holidays in their home country.
The warm weather, increased airport departure taxes, and environmentally aware travellers could shun an overseas holiday this year.
The new environment warnings of ‘carbon footprints’ is impacting the travel market, with news bulletins regularly reporting that taking a flight adds to global warming. If holidaymakers take heed Spain might also see a drop in visitors from Germany, Scandanavia and other European countries.
November 24, 2009
Spain Beats Off 2007 Eastern Tourist Competition
November 23, 2009
Late Boost For 2007 Majorca Holidays
Majorca has scored a stunning success this year by being the British holidaymakers island of choice for their annual getaway, and has now capped a successful summer by being top destination for the autumn too.
One travel site has reported that Majorca, along with Spain’s Costa del Sol, are the most heavily booked for the autumn period in Europe, with New York being the top long haul destination for British tourists.
Other areas of Spain are also enjoying an autumn renaissance – notably the Costa Blanca and the Canary Island of Tenerife. Surprisingly Malta is starting to compete with the traditional British getaway favourites.
Malta has enjoyed quite a turn around in her fortunes over the last eighteen months since the Maltese authorities reluctantly agreed to allow low cost airlines to fly to the Mediterranean island. The tourist situation for Malta was so poor at one stage that a British holiday company were seriously considering dropping it from their main brochures, and if others had followed Malta would have been relegated as a mainstream vacation destination to one of niche status for her culture, history, and diving holidays.
Low cost airlines have engineered Malta away from tourist disaster to a far healthier position for 2007, and some 300,000 visitors could be delivered to the island for the 2008 season, as well as giving it an autumn boost this year.
But for all the success of one island in the Mediterranean that Malta has enjoyed in 2007 after turning around an awful 2006, it is really the Spanish island of Majorca that has done best for 2007, consistently attracting tourists throughout the summer, and extending it to the autumn time – good news for the hotel and holiday trade on the island as they see the months of profitabilty extend beyond the traditional ones.
Mallorca as an island has been promoting itself to the UK market by including a team distributing information at London’s Victoria Station. Trains from Victoria run several times an hour to London’s Gatwick Airport, allowing easy access to Mallorca for Londoners.
The Balearic Islands of which Mallorca is part consist of three islands, as well as Malloca there is Menorca (the smallest island)and and Ibiza. Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinations, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for both the summer and autumn.
Majorca Holidays End 2007 On A High
Popular Majorca has scored a stunning success this year by being the British holidaymakers island of choice for their annual getaway, and has now capped a successful summer by being top destination for the autumn season too.
One travel site has reported that Majorca, along with Spain’s Costa del Sol, are the most heavily booked for the autumn period in Europe, with New York being the top long haul destination for British tourists.
Other areas of Spain are also enjoying an autumn renaissance – notably the Costa Blanca and the Canary Island of Tenerife. Surprisingly Malta is starting to compete with the traditional British getaway favourites.
Malta has enjoyed quite a turn around in her fortunes over the last eighteen months since the Maltese authorities reluctantly agreed to allow low cost airlines to fly to the Mediterranean island. The tourist situation for Malta was so poor at one stage that a British holiday company were seriously considering dropping it from their main brochures, and if others had followed Malta would have been relegated as a mainstream vacation destination to one of niche status for her culture, history, and diving holidays.
Low cost airlines have engineered Malta away from tourist disaster to a far healthier position for 2007, and some 300,000 visitors could be delivered to the island for the 2008 season, as well as giving it an autumn boost this year.
But for all the success of one island in the Mediterranean that Malta has enjoyed in 2007 after turning around an awful 2006, it is really the Spanish island of Majorca that has done best for 2007, consistently attracting tourists throughout the summer, and extending it to the autumn time – good news for the hotel and holiday trade on the island as they see the months of profitabilty extend beyond the traditional ones.
Mallorca as an island has been promoting itself to the UK market by including a team distributing information at London’s Victoria Station. Trains from Victoria run several times an hour to London’s Gatwick Airport, allowing easy access to Mallorca for Londoners.
The Balearic Islands of which Mallorca is part consist of three islands, as well as Malloca there is Menorca (the smallest island)and and Ibiza. Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinations, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for both this year and into 2008.
November 22, 2009
Mallorca: a Little Something for Everyone
Mallorca is the main island of the group that forms an archipelago called the Balearic Islands. Located in the Mediterranean off the east coast of the Spanish mainland, Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands. Mallorca is also the most popular of the islands.
According to the 2005 census, the population of the city of Palma was 375,048. The population of the entire area was estimated to be 517,285; the 12th-largest urban area of Spain. Approximately half of the total population of Mallorca lives in Palma.
Mallorca started to develop as a tourist hot spot in the 1920’s. Today, Mallorca sees more than six million visitors each year, yet ninety-five percent of vacationers concentrate in only five percent of its territory. Less developed areas of this elegant island are ripe for new development and prime property commands a great premium. It seems more people than ever before want to live on or invest in the gorgeous island of Mallorca. Mallorca is known as the Mediterranean Lady and it offers a little something for everyone.
The Spanish housing ministry released figures stating that housing prices rose by 9.1% during 2006; down from 12.8% in 2005. This presents an excellent time to shop for a deal of your own private spot of heaven, Mallorcan style. Property prices remain competitive when compared with other regions of Spain.
Buyers from Russia, Sweden, France and Ireland are jumping on the band wagon that was once dominated exclusively by Brits and Germans. Mallorca’s leading international real estate marketing company is Kuhn & Partner. The company presently has twenty sales offices in Mallorca and Ibiza in the Balearic Islands as well as in Germany. Leading agents in the area show little sign of slowing down. An agent is an excellent starting point to find properties that accommodate individual investment needs and tastes. The rich culture and history of Menorca are a large attraction for visitors and homebuyers alike, making it a peaceful place to live and experience serenity.
However, there is far more to Mallorca than the sea, the sand and the sun. Atmosphere is conducive to everything else in life, surroundings, weather, healthy diet and lifestyle and especially state of mind. Tourists and home buyers alike are attracted to Mallorca’s unique subtropical climate offering peace of mind year around. Soft breezes rolling in from the Mediterranean sea adds to the simple charms and personalities of wonderful lifestyle. Healthy diets of fresh vegetables, fruit, fishes and olive oil constitute a better quality of life. European chefs and sommeliers present culinary delights, cooking savory meals with natural juices and fresh herbs.
Discover Gothic architecture treasures, beautiful almond and olive groves, small sun bleached hilltop villages and white beaches galore. Take a stroll along the quiet city and find yourself surrounded by chic shops full of treasures. Hike along ancient mountain paths. Visit romantic villages mountainside and the historic castles set in the rolling hills of the island. Mallorca Island is dynamic with its dramatic mountains, hidden coves and various historical archeological sites.
Find your palace in Mallorca for a week or for the rest of your life and spend your next holiday in a Mediterranean paradise.
Mallorca – Top Destination For 2008
The Spanish island of Mallorca is the main island of the group that forms an archipelago called the Balearic Islands. Located in the Mediterranean off the east coast of the Spanish mainland, Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands. Mallorca is also the most popular of the islands for holidays with German and British tourists in particular returning year after year.
According to the 2005 census, the population of the city of Palma, the capital of Mallorca, was 375,048. The population of the entire area was estimated to be 517,285 – the twelfth largest urban area of Spain. Approximately half of the total population of Mallorca lives in Palma.
Mallorca started to develop as a tourist hot spot in the 1920s. Today, Mallorca sees more than six million visitors each year, but nearly all the tourists concentrate in only five percent of her territory.
Less developed areas of this elegant island are ripe for new development and prime property commands a great premium. It seems more people than ever before want to live on or invest in the gorgeous island of Mallorca. Mallorca is known as the Mediterranean Lady and it offers a little something for everyone.
The Spanish housing ministry released figures stating that housing prices rose by over nine per cent during 2006, and over twelve per cent the year before. This presents an excellent time to shop for a deal of your own private spot of heaven, Mallorcan style. Property prices remain competitive when compared with other regions of Spain.
Buyers from Russia, Sweden, France and Ireland are jumping on the band wagon that was once dominated exclusively by Brits and Germans. Mallorca’s leading international real estate marketing company has twenty sales offices in Mallorca and Ibiza in the Balearic Islands as well as in Germany. Leading agents in the area show little sign of slowing down. An agent is an excellent starting point to find properties that accommodate individual investment needs and tastes.
The rich culture and history of Mallorca are a large attraction for visitors and homebuyers alike, making it a peaceful place to live and experience serenity.
However, there is far more to Mallorca than the sea, the sand and the sun. Atmosphere is conducive to everything else in life, surroundings, weather, healthy diet and lifestyle and especially state of mind.
Tourists and home buyers alike are attracted to Mallorca’s unique subtropical climate offering peace of mind year around. Soft breezes rolling in from the Mediterranean adds to the simple charms and personalities of wonderful lifestyle.
Healthy diets of fresh vegetables, fruit, fishes and olive oil constitute a better quality of life. European chefs and sommeliers present culinary delights, cooking savoury meals with natural juices and fresh herbs. Discover Gothic architecture treasures, beautiful almond and olive groves, small sun bleached hilltop villages and white beaches galore. Take a stroll along the quiet city and find yourself surrounded by chic shops full of treasures. Hike along ancient mountain paths. Visit romantic villages mountainside and the historic castles set in the rolling hills of the island. Mallorca Island is dynamic with its dramatic mountains, hidden coves and various historical archeological sites.
Find your palace on Mallorca for a week or for the rest of your life and spend your next holiday in a Mediterranean paradise, and see for yourself why Mallorca holidays are the most popular in Europe.
November 20, 2009
Spanish Delight As Majorca Chosen For Hotel Site
Europe’s favourite holiday island Majorca is set to have Spain’s most luxurious hotel in Spain on her soil, boosting the island’s image and economy while attracting high spenders, according to news reports recently.
As well as helping the island’s economy directly, luxury hotels, especially on a favourite holiday island to many Europeans and North Americans, will doubtless see Majorca mentioned in the press and on entertainment shows when the stars drop in – already Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones own property in Majorca, as does ex Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, who is understood to be selling one house but looking for another.
The luxury hotel has come about unexpectedly from a project started some ten years ago that ran into financial difficulties, nd it is that will be transformed into Spain’s finest, with the hotel anticipated to open for business some time in 2009 or 2010.
The hotel will be owned by a Dubai company which also owns the well known Burj-al Arab hotel in Dubai, as well as hotels in London and New York.
Siuated in Mallorca’s Port de Soller it is only 10 miles from the Mallorca hotel owned by Richard Branson. In Port de Soller two hotels have marketed themselves as boutiques recently, with Port de Soller and neighbouring Soller aiming to become the lucrative luxury area of Mallorca.
Mallorca as an island has been promoting itself to the UK market recently, with the UK advertising campaign for Majorca including a team distributing information at London’s Victoria Station. Trains from Victoria run several times an hour to London’s Gatwick Airport, allowing easy access to Mallorca for Londoners.
The Balearic Islands of which Mallorca is part consist of three islands, as well as Malloca there is Menorca (the smallest island)and and Ibiza. Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinantions, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for some time to come.
November 17, 2009
Majorca Real Estate on Brink of 2007 Price Drop
Mallorca real estate has been popular for several decades now, with many Europeans who have holidayed on the Spanish island deciding to buy a second home for holidays, a business, or for retirement.
Prices have risen on the island as buyers – mainly British and German – have moved in, but there are mixed signals coming from the property and tourist sectors, which could see a freeze in Majorca property inflation, and possibly even a dip in prices in the near future.
Official figures for Majorca holidays this year indicate an increase in tourist numbers by between five and seven per cent. And it is from the pool of holidaymakers where property sales often happen a few months later, as some visitors like the island so much they decide to look into buying an apartment or villa, with some even retiring to the island, or buying a business.
With the increase in visitor numbers, property demand should in theory be good.
Cheap Mallorca flights have been running for some years now, and even with increased air tax in the UK, Mallorca is easily accessible from more than a dozen airports in the UK for property owners and tourists alike, with a flight time of under two hours, allowing a market for weekend homes for overseas property buyers.
Although one of the earliest package holiday destinations with companies like Thomas Cook, Mallorca has had new competition in recent years from the former Soviet Bloc countries in Eastern Europe, that are now able to offer cheap holidays to the British market, and for the property market countries like Croatia and Bulgaria have been able to offer apartments and villas at a fraction of the price Majorca can offer.
In response, the island has fought back showing it’s not just the Mallorca weather that attracts property buyers, but a well established market with the infrastructure in place to protect overseas investors money.
Any slow down or possible reversal of property prices could be welcomed by the local Majorca population.
They have seen the price of property in Majorca escalate, and many have been priced out of buying their own home.
This has led to some protests, with a demonstration against plans for more development in Mallorca being held earlier in the year, with the belief that developers will destroy what is left of Majorca’s open spaces, and rendering the map of Mallorca unrecognisable in years to come.
With encouraging tourist figures, Mallorca hasn’t been resting on her laurels. This summer’s SuperCup yachting event has seen the appointed of an experenced race organiser, in an attempt to make the event more high profile.
Similarly, neighbouring island Minorca is hosting a Classic Yachts weekend, with entrants expected from across Europe, with the event boosting occupancy for Majorca hotels.
Of the three Balearic Islands, Ibiza comes top for spending per tourist according to official recent statistics, reaching nearly a hundred Euros a day per tourist, with Majorca second, and Menorca third.
Current prices for property in Mallorca include brand new 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartments in Puerto Pollensa at 285,000 Euros, a country house with its own pool at 1,500,000 Euros, and a three bedroom three bathroom villa with its own pool at 900,000.
Majorca Real Estate on Brink of 2007 Price Drop
Mallorca real estate has been popular for several decades now, with many Europeans who have holidayed on the Spanish island deciding to buy a second home for holidays, a business, or for retirement.
Prices have risen on the island as buyers – mainly British and German – have moved in, but there are mixed signals coming from the property and tourist sectors, which could see a freeze in Majorca property inflation, and possibly even a dip in prices in the near future.
Official figures for Majorca holidays this year indicate an increase in tourist numbers by between five and seven per cent. And it is from the pool of holidaymakers where property sales often happen a few months later, as some visitors like the island so much they decide to look into buying an apartment or villa, with some even retiring to the island, or buying a business.
With the increase in visitor numbers, property demand should in theory be good.
Cheap Mallorca flights have been running for some years now, and even with increased air tax in the UK, Mallorca is easily accessible from more than a dozen airports in the UK for property owners and tourists alike, with a flight time of under two hours, allowing a market for weekend homes for overseas property buyers.
Although one of the earliest package holiday destinations with companies like Thomas Cook, Mallorca has had new competition in recent years from the former Soviet Bloc countries in Eastern Europe, that are now able to offer cheap holidays to the British market, and for the property market countries like Croatia and Bulgaria have been able to offer apartments and villas at a fraction of the price Majorca can offer.
In response, the island has fought back showing it’s not just the Mallorca weather that attracts property buyers, but a well established market with the infrastructure in place to protect overseas investors money.
Any slow down or possible reversal of property prices could be welcomed by the local Majorca population.
They have seen the price of property in Majorca escalate, and many have been priced out of buying their own home.
This has led to some protests, with a demonstration against plans for more development in Mallorca being held earlier in the year, with the belief that developers will destroy what is left of Majorca’s open spaces, and rendering the map of Mallorca unrecognisable in years to come.
With encouraging tourist figures, Mallorca hasn’t been resting on her laurels. This summer’s SuperCup yachting event has seen the appointed of an experenced race organiser, in an attempt to make the event more high profile.
Similarly, neighbouring island Minorca is hosting a Classic Yachts weekend, with entrants expected from across Europe, with the event boosting occupancy for Majorca hotels.
Of the three Balearic Islands, Ibiza comes top for spending per tourist according to official recent statistics, reaching nearly a hundred Euros a day per tourist, with Majorca second, and Menorca third.
Current prices for property in Mallorca include brand new 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartments in Puerto Pollensa at 285,000 Euros, a country house with its own pool at 1,500,000 Euros, and a three bedroom three bathroom villa with its own pool at 900,000.
Majorca Real Estate on Brink of 2007 Price Drop
Mallorca real estate has been popular for several decades now, with many Europeans who have holidayed on the Spanish island deciding to buy a second home for holidays, a business, or for retirement.
Prices have risen on the island as buyers – mainly British and German – have moved in, but there are mixed signals coming from the property and tourist sectors, which could see a freeze in Majorca property inflation, and possibly even a dip in prices in the near future.
Official figures for Majorca holidays this year indicate an increase in tourist numbers by between five and seven per cent. And it is from the pool of holidaymakers where property sales often happen a few months later, as some visitors like the island so much they decide to look into buying an apartment or villa, with some even retiring to the island, or buying a business.
With the increase in visitor numbers, property demand should in theory be good.
Cheap Mallorca flights have been running for some years now, and even with increased air tax in the UK, Mallorca is easily accessible from more than a dozen airports in the UK for property owners and tourists alike, with a flight time of under two hours, allowing a market for weekend homes for overseas property buyers.
Although one of the earliest package holiday destinations with companies like Thomas Cook, Mallorca has had new competition in recent years from the former Soviet Bloc countries in Eastern Europe, that are now able to offer cheap holidays to the British market, and for the property market countries like Croatia and Bulgaria have been able to offer apartments and villas at a fraction of the price Majorca can offer.
In response, the island has fought back showing it’s not just the Mallorca weather that attracts property buyers, but a well established market with the infrastructure in place to protect overseas investors money.
Any slow down or possible reversal of property prices could be welcomed by the local Majorca population.
They have seen the price of property in Majorca escalate, and many have been priced out of buying their own home.
This has led to some protests, with a demonstration against plans for more development in Mallorca being held earlier in the year, with the belief that developers will destroy what is left of Majorca’s open spaces, and rendering the map of Mallorca unrecognisable in years to come.
With encouraging tourist figures, Mallorca hasn’t been resting on her laurels. This summer’s SuperCup yachting event has seen the appointed of an experenced race organiser, in an attempt to make the event more high profile.
Similarly, neighbouring island Minorca is hosting a Classic Yachts weekend, with entrants expected from across Europe, with the event boosting occupancy for Majorca hotels.
Of the three Balearic Islands, Ibiza comes top for spending per tourist according to official recent statistics, reaching nearly a hundred Euros a day per tourist, with Majorca second, and Menorca third.
Current prices for property in Mallorca include brand new 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartments in Puerto Pollensa at 285,000 Euros, a country house with its own pool at 1,500,000 Euros, and a three bedroom three bathroom villa with its own pool at 900,000.
November 16, 2009
2007 Holiday Hot Spots
New competition from former Eastern Bloc countries have focused the minds of the tourist boards in traditionally favourite holiday destinations for Europeans in recent years – and it appears they could be doing a good job as many of the most chosen areas for this year are pretty much the same as ten and even twenty years ago.
The biggest winner this year among the holiday resorts seems to be Spain with six out of the top twenty destinations either being regions of the mainland like the Costa del Sol, or one of the Spanish Balearic or Canary islands, such as Ibiza and Tenerife.
Among city breaks Paris ranks highly, as it always does, while London has suffered with a high pound resulting in visitors from the US dropping this year – and a boredom factor setting in – with some Americans not visiting a second time as they feel they have ‘done it’ after seeing Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. While some will venture as far afield as Windsor Castle, some twenty miles out of London, and some Oxford, few venture to other parts of England, preferring to catch the Eurostar to Paris with a two city trip.
Far flung destinations reaching the top twenty include Egypt and the Dominican Republic. Florida is in the doldrums for European visitors despite good value with the Euro and British Sterling both doing well against the US dollar. But getting in and out of America is becoming a real chore for many visitors now. If it isn’t bad enough queueing at Disney for the rides with children in tow, a long wait in line at immigration after a ten hour flight is not the best start to a holiday – and with EuroDisney a far easier option visitor numbers are unlikely to recover any time soon.
But it appears no matter what new destinations come up for holiday possibilities, Spain and her islands are resilient to the challenges, and when they are challenged aren’t afraid to advertise to past tourists to visit again, and for new ones to visit for the first time.
Mallorca as an island has been promoting itself to the UK market by including a team distributing information at London’s Victoria Station. Trains from Victoria run several times an hour to London’s Gatwick Airport, allowing easy access to Mallorca for Londoners.
The Balearic Islands of which Mallorca is part consist of three islands, as well as Malloca there is Menorca (the smallest island)and and Ibiza. Menorca has a season that traditionally is at its peak early May to end September, but is now trying to extend that from mid April to mid October.
As part of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca has welcomed many visitors back to live full time on the island. Menorca property has proved popular too, for those looking for a gentler pace of life than big sister Mallorca.
Property prices in Mallorca are similar to Menorca property, with a range of apartments and villas in both rural and town locations, and with twenty golf courses plenty of golf course developments too on Mallorca.
Menorca has just the one golf course, recently extended to eighteen holes, and is located in Son Parc, which has a choice of hotels, apartments and villas for holiday makers.
The cost of flying to Mallorca has come down in recent years from most European countries due to low cost airlines, especially in the island’s core tourist areas of the United Kingdom and Germany, and last year easyJet started direct flights from London’s Gatwick Airport to the sister island of Menorca, as well as serving Mallorca itself.
Despite competition from other destinantions, Mallorca looks set to remain a favourite holiday spot for some time to come.