MARINAS FULLY BOOKED

24 Aug 2009

The Balearic Island Port Authority has reported that marinas remain fully booked this summer despite recession concerns. The greatest demand is at Cala Figuera, Cala Ratjada, Colonia San Jordi, Puerto Pollensa, Porto Colom, Porto Cristo, Puerto Soller, Puerto Andratx, Cala Bona and Puerto Petro.

ETA SUSPECT HELD IN FRANCE

19 Aug 2009

Anti-terrorist police in France today arrested an alleged member of the Basque separatist group Eta sought after a series of bomb attacks on the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca this summer. Alberto Machain Beraza was one of three alleged Eta members picked up by French police in or near Le Corbier, in the French Alps, according to Spanish media. The two other suspects arrested were reported to be Aitzol Etxaburu and Andoni Sarasola. French police confirmed the arrests but did not name the men.

SMOKING BAN ON IT'S WAY SOON?

18 Aug 2009

Is there going to be a smoking ban in public places in Spain? Well according to the health minister, it might happen sooner than you think. "Right now, with the information we have and the study we are doing of the current [smoking] law, I think the society is mature enough... and we want to prohibit smoking in all public places," Jimenez said in an interview on the radio on Monday.

In 2006, Spain introduced a smoking ban in workplaces and public places larger than 100 square meters. However, a smoke-free bar or restaurant, for example, in Spain is rare. Many of the country's bars and restaurants are smaller than 100 square meters and in larger establishments, few owners enforce the law or have installed nonsmoking sections.

SWINE FLU NUMBERS LEVEL OUT

16 Aug 2009

Vicenç Thomas, the Balearic Health Minister yesterday announced that plans to tackle the spread of H1N1 will be published this Monday. His team have been working on these plans since April, which are designed to lower the impact of the virus on daily life in the Balearics.

He stated that the virus has reached a "levelling out" phase meaning that the spread of the virus has stabilised. There are now only 36 cases of the virus in the Balearics for every 7'000 head of population, less than there were a fortnight ago.

BALEARIC GOLF

13 Aug 2009

The regional Ministry for Tourism has launched a campaign to promote the Balearic Islands as a quality all year round golfing holiday destination and has announced a 180,000 euro budget to do so.

An agreement was signed yesterday with the Balearic Golf Course Association to launch the campaign to promote Mallorca, Minorca and Ibiza as perfect golfing locations.

BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR TOURISTS

10 Aug 2009

It's business as usual for tourists say officials despite 3 small bomb blasts in Palma.

Altogether two small devices were placed in the toilets of restaurants and a third in the underground area of the main square. No casualties were reported and damage was either non-existent or minimal.

The low power of the devices suggests that the aim of the bombings was not to cause fatalities.  The blasts happened the same day the ETA claimed responsibility for the explosion on July 30 that killed two officers from the Spanish Civil Guard in the resort town of Palmanova in Mallorca Island.

    It appears that the latest attacks were aimed at causing the maximum chaos in Mallorca, a destination for millions of British and German tourists at this time of year.

    The ETA has carried out a campaign against tourist destinations in Spain for the past 20 years aiming to damage the country's economy.

    Furthermore, the Basque separatist group is blamed for the deaths of more than 800 people in its 40-year campaign to carve a Basque homeland out of northern Spain and southwestern France.

The regional government has created a new tourist information toll-free hotline, which operates in English, Spanish and German. The telephone number for those already in Majorca or in Spain is 900 900 365 and is also available abroad with regular rates to Spain dialling the international code of Spain (+34). The service is available from Mondays to Saturdays between 10am and 6pm.

ANOTHER BOMB BLAST IN MALLORCA

09 Aug 2009

Eta have claimed responsibility for a bomb blast in a restaurant in Palma. The restaurant, La Rigoletta on Paseo del Portitxol was targetted following a warning call from someone claiming to be from Eta made to a local taxi firm.

A second device was found in a nearby cafe and was de-activated by the police.

The explosion at La Rigoletta caused no injuries as the restaurant was evacuated prior to the blast. It is thought that the bomb was contained in a rucksack and left in the women's toilet.

Major security checks involving road blocks are ongoing on the island. Police have been seen carrying pump action shot guns at road blocks leaving Palma heading towards the North of the island.

HOAX BOMB CALL LEADS TO ARREST

07 Aug 2009

Two juveniles were arrested last Friday suspected of making hoax bomb calls in Palmanova.

Emergency services were deployed and several hotels evacuated following the calls. The two minors testified before the Civil Guard and were subsequently made available to parents, while the Juvenile Court handles the case.

WEATHER MORE IMPORTANT THAN TERROISM

05 Aug 2009

According to Abta, The Association of British Travel Agents, British holiday makers are NOT worried at all about last week's car bomb in Mallorca are not cancelling their bookings or opting to go elsewhere.

Apparently, Brits are more worried about the weather than anything else with most people just desperate to get away from the miserable weather in the UK.

TOURISM FEARS

03 Aug 2009

The Association of Travel Agents in the Balearics fears that last week's bomb attack in Palmanova will scare off holidaymakers at the height of the season.

Spanish media have spoken of a "blow against the epicentre of tourism in the Balearics," where the sector is already suffering from the economic crisis and competition from cheaper Mediterranean sunshine destinations, such as in Turkey and Tunisia.

Spanish embassies have contacted the governments of its main tourist markets, such as Britain and Germany, following the attack to reassure them that the country is safe.