Job growth in the Services sector

The increase in employment in the Services sector - which includes the tourism industry - was 1.5 percent more than growth registered during the same month last year, the National Institute of Statistics (INE) confirmed yesterday. The Balerics played second best only to the region of Navarre where April employment in the Services industry had gone up by 1.6 percent. Both these figures were well above the national average growth which was an unimpressive 0.1 percent. The growth in employment in the Services sector in the Balearics in April meant that employment figures in the region during the first four months neither grew nor declined. The Islands thus balanced out at a zero change over the period from January to April this year. Read Full Article

Local property market moves

Madrid.- More than 2'660 properties were registered in house buying and selling transactions in the Balearics during the first quarter of the year, a 9.2 percent increase in comparison with the same period in 2010, the Official Property Register confirmed yesterday. The figures reveal that the Balearic Islands is one of the regions of the country where property transactions have increased the most on a year-on-year basis. In the first three months of the year, 1'345 new homes were bought in the region, a 4.26 increase in comparison with the first quarter of last year. The high figure, a spokesman said reflects a significant movement in buying and selling prompted by changes brought in by the government on how property purchase is to be reflected in tax declarations. Read Full Article

Tourism spending to hit record

The amount of money spent by foreign tourists during April in the Balearics rose by 35.6 percent to 532 million and the outgoing Balearic Minister for Tourism, Joana Barcelo, claimed yesterday the growth continues, tourism spending could meet or even break the record spending figures registered in 2008. Barcelo welcomed the latest figures as "good news" and explained that since last year, the industry has noticed a gradual increase in spending but not of the kind witnessed last month. The average spend by foreign holiday makers in the Balearics, 866 euros per tourist, was three points above the national average, and, according to data supplied by the Ministry for Tourism, Commerce and Industry in Madrid, the average daily spend in the region was 106 euros, an increase of seven percent. It was, however, the Canaries that enjoyed the largest surge in spending where the average spend was 894 euros, an increase of 36.1 percent. But, during the first four months of the year, foreign tourists spent 980 million euros in the Balearics, nearly seven percent more than during the same period last year. Read Full Article

Balearics and the UK are top spots for Spanish this summer

Palma: - The Balearic Islands is the fourth most popular holiday destination for Spaniards not wanting to go abroad this summer, an Easyviajar.com study on Tourism and the Internet reported yesterday. In the research carried out in collaboration with the Markets Investigation Institute, 8 out of every 10 Spaniards are to go on holiday this summer, with 81 percent of holiday makers saying in response to the survey that they would be heading for the coast, the largest amount of them to Andalusia. United Kingdom: - The head of Easyviajar.com in Spain, Elena Patiño said that after Andalusia, the second most sought-after destination would be Valencia, followed by Catalonia, The Balearics and Galicia. Separately, of the 84 percent of the Spaniards who said they are planning a summer holiday, 43 percent said they would be going abroad. The top three favourite destinations in the international ranking were Italy, France and the United Kingdom. And, those Spaniards heading overseas this summer will apparently be spending an average of 1'793 euros on a family holiday. Read Full Article

Private jet, it's the only way to fly

The unique private jet share community created by Majorcan home owner and leading British businessman Clive Jackson took to the skies over Easter and the service is proving very popular with travellers tired of having to waste hours of their valuable time at airports to then be crammed inside a low cost airline bound for Palma. But, with Jackson about to open up Victor to the U.S. market, it is not only two legged passengers which are enjoying the new jet share service but so too have their pets. Former Majorcan residents Glenda Dean has often used private jets when travelling with her dog Duchess. "Granted, not every one can afford travelling by private jet but when we lived in Majorca we did use the scheduled airlines which would carry pets with their travel passports etc. Read Full Article

Bumper Easter but Balearic tourism had a poor start to the year

IT has been a busy Easter for Spain's coastal resorts, like the Balearics, with hotel occupancy at between 85 and 90 percent, the Secretary General for Tourism, Joan Mesquida, reported yesterday. The Secretary General also announced that initial figures show that, in comparison to last year, turn over in the tourist industry was up by ten percent. "Easter was particularly good," Mesquida proclaimed. "The government managed to meet its hotel occupancy forecasts and the country's airports handled seven percent more international flights," the Majorcan added. According to Mesquida, the big Easter winners were the Balearics, the Canaries, Valencia and Andalusia but rural tourism also performed well as did city breaks. The Secretary General said that this year is going to be good for the tourist industry with both international and national tourism figures much higher than last year and the summer forecast looking extremely encouraging. Assessing the wider picture, Mesquida said that Spain's tourism industry is recovering from the global crisis, due partly to the unrest in competing travel destinations in the Arab world. Read Full Article

HOSTELRY INDUSTRY TO STAGE MASSIVE ANTI-SMOKING LAW PROTEST IN PALMA

THE Balearic hostelry sector is going to be staging a massive rally in the centre of Palma on Monday in protest against Spain's tough anti-smoking laws. The new law introduced is one of Europe's toughest smoking bans that even prohibits lighting up in open spaces like children's playgrounds and outside hospitals. Fines for breaking the ban, which took effect at midnight on January 2, range from a modest 30 euros (£25) to 600'000 euros (£513'800). Aside from playgrounds and access points to schools and hospitals, smoking is also banned in bars, restaurants, discotheques, casinos and airports. But hotels are allowed to reserve 30% of their rooms for smokers. Spain's Health Minister Leire Pajin previously said: "We should remember that more than 70% of Spain's population are non-smokers. "So it is logical to think they will be more comfortable in bars when there is no tobacco smoke in them." But, that is not how the hostelry sector, in particular the bars and restaurants see it.Read Full Article

HOTELIERS TO HELP GET MAJORCA BACK TO WORK THIS SEASON

THE Majorcan Federation of Hotel Businesses (FEHM) signed an agreement with the Balearic Job centre yesterday to hire long term, registered unemployed this summer season to boost their work forces. The deal was struck yesterday between the Federation boss Inmaculada de Benito, the Balearic President Francesc Antich and the Minister for Tourism and Employment Joana Barcelo, and the government estimates that the agreement could lead to 11'000 new jobs being created at a time when the number of people officially out of work in Majorca is at a record high, despite having gradually fallen over the past four consecutive months. The job centres are now going to begin examining who they have on their books, what their skills are and if they are suited to working in hotels. Their CVs will then be passed onto the participating hotel chains. Read Full Article

TUI SAYS CUSTOMERS ARE PICKING SPAIN

LONDON
TUI Travel, Europe’s biggest tour operator, said summer bookings were ahead, with customers booking alternative destinations following the unrest in Egypt and Tunisia. Tui Travel, majority owned by German company TUI AG, said on Thursday customers were picking Greece, Spain and Turkey and it had adjusted its programme accordingly, increasing the amount of holidays on sale to those regions. TUI Travel, which owns First Choice and Thomson said it was too early to say when demand for Egypt and Tunisia would recover, adding it had cheap deals currently on offer for resorts such as Sharm El Sheikh. “Recognising the importance of tourism in these countries, both hoteliers and tourist boards have been working with the industry on ways to encourage customers to return,” chief executive Peter Long said. Thomson is offering seven night all-inclusive holidays to Sharm El Sheikh from 499 pounds per person, about 400 pounds off the normal price. TUI Travel reiterated guidance given in February that the unrest in Egypt and Tunisia could wipe up to 30 million pounds off profit after holidaymakers were advised to stay away from the region. Long told Reuters earlier this week the group was factoring in an annual hit of up to 40 million pounds to profit from the impact of conflicts and natural disasters. Read Full Article

BALEARIC GOVERNMENT WELCOMES NEWS THAT AIRPORT STRIKES ARE OFF

THE Balearic government expressed its relief and joy that the threatened 22 days of airports strikes during the Easter and Summer holidays have finally been called off. Late on Thursday night, Spanish airport workers voted to call off the 22 days of strike action, a spokesman from Spain's largest union CCOO said yesterday, averting disruption over peak holiday periods between April and August. "A total of 70 percent of votes were in favour of calling off the strike, with 29.7 votes against and a couple of abstentions," the CCOO spokesman said. Spanish airport operator AENA and unions reached a preliminary agreement to call off the action on March 16 which took on board workers' concerns over labour conditions and job security related to the planned part privatisation of the airport operator. Here in the Balearics, the vast majority of airport staff voted in favour of calling off strike action. Of the 1'172 AENA employees in the region, 743 (73 percent) voted and 80 percent, 594, voted in favour of the deal offered by the Spanish government. Nevertheless, the uncertainty over the strike has hit bookings with reports from hotel association in the Balearics having reported cancellations and flight booking websites reporting a marked drop in searches and demand for flight to the Balearics on or around the dates on which the unions were planning to go on strike. Read Full Article

Balearics pioneer hotel categorisation system

THE Balearic government yesterday approved a set of categories which will govern the tourist accommodation ratings of hotels and apartments in the region, Tourism Minister and Government spokesperson Joana Barcelo said yesterday. The move is a pioneering one in Spain which allows proprietors to choose the category under which they want to operate. Once decided, owners will be given a period of time to adjust to the new regulations. Speaking after a government meeting yesterday, Barcelo said that the system is based on tourist accommodation businesses assessing their own worth. If they wish to upgrade their category, she said, then extra services will have to be provided. "Proprietors will need to be responsible about what they can offer the public and how their facilities fit in with the legal categorisations that the government has now set," she warned. The new system has been introduced because state law governing accommodation classification was eliminated after it proved to be at odds with European Union legislation. Read Full Article

Hoteliers say airport strikers should "pay" for Easter losses

THE Majorcan Hoteliers' Federation (FEHM) said yesterday that Spanish National Airports Authority (AENA) workers who have called for industrial action over the Easter holiday, should "take responsibility" for losses incurred by the tourism industry as a result of their actions. According to the FEHM, the announcement of the strikes over Easter has unsurprisingly generated considerable alarm amongst key client markets of the Balearic Islands and in the travel agency sector. The travel industry, said the FEHM, are well aware of the chaos which is going to ensue if the strikes go ahead. The action could seriously prejudice the income of tourist businesses because there are likely to be wholesale cancellations of reservations already made for the Easter period. The FEHM said that the airport workers and unions representing them should be made to take a long, hard look at the damage they are going to inflict, and called for meetings to try and negotiate a way out of the conflict. Read Full Article

Travel industry outrage over Easter airport strike threat

THE domestic and international tourist industry voiced its outrage yesterday over the threat of industrial action by Spanish airport staff and air traffic controllers over the Easter holiday period. One leading UK tour industry source said "bring back the army they did such a good job last time" referring to the air traffic controllers strike at the end of last year. "I trust and hope that commonsense prevails," he added. The President of the Balearic Association of TravelAgents, Sylvia Riera expressed her concern that there would be a repeat of the chaos caused by the air traffic controllers. Riera yesterday wrote to the Balearic Minister for Tourism, Joana Barcelo, expressing her fears and calling for tough action to be taken to avert a strike action that could ruin all the hard work which has gone into reviving the tourist industry this year. Read Full Article

Calvia to become film set for the top British comedy from next week

THE cameras started rolling on the eagerly anticipated The Inbetweeners Movie, in the UK last week and this week, the cast and crew will be taking over two hotels in Calvia where the production will be filming for the next four weeks. The feature film is being shot on location in the UK and mainland Europe over a six-week period, and shows what happens when Will, Simon, Jay and Neil go on holiday to Malia in Crete, which is all being shot here in Majorca, with no parents, no teachers, no money and little chance with the ladies. The location shoot here in Majorca is being carried out in association with Palma Pictures which is facilitating the filming on the island. Read Full Article

Bookings good but Spain can not afford to let its guard down

THE outlook for the tourist industry in Spain this year is "positive but complex" National Tourist Board Director Alvaro Blanco said yesterday, confirming that although reservations from the German key client market are growing and bookings from the United Kingdom are recovering, many visitors will be those who would otherwise have gone to Egypt and Tunisia. "The bookings situation looks good," said Blanco speaking at a tourism summit in Palma, "but we've actually got to keep working at ensuring that Spain gives a quality service." He said that on the surface of things, the country seems to have been able to take advantage of what appears to be a golden opportunity with political tensions in Egypt and Tunisia driving would-be tourists north to Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands. "The crises that are emerging in North Africa are not providing us with the free windfall that some would suppose," cautioned Blanco. "The visitors that come to Spain who would otherwise have gone to Egypt or Tunisia have simply been lent to us, and the hard work will be in convincing them to come back again." However, he said, speaking at a conference attended by Spanish Tourism Board representatives from offices around Europe, there is general agreement that regardless of the knock-on effects of the North African conflict, reservations for this coming season as they stand at this time of year, are particularly good. Read Full Article

UK looks to Spain, Turkey & Greece instead of Egypt

BRITISH tour operator TUI Travel said yesterday that the popular revolt taking place in Egypt is benefiting the tourist sectors in Spain, Greece and Turkey, as holiday-makers start seeking alternative destinations. Michelle Jeffery, Corporate Communications Director for TUI Travel said that the company had noticed an increasing number of Britons were turning their attention to Spain. She said though that although intentions were clear, it was difficult to quantify until May when TUI publishes its final quarterly results. TUI Board Director Peter Long, accompanying Jeffery at yesterday's presentation of results for the final quarter of 2010, said: "The security of our clients is our first priority." He said that the political situation in North Africa and its knock-on effects on tourism, were meaning that the tour operator was in the process of adjusting its offer to meet demand.. Read Full Article

128´600 spent Christmas out of work in the Balearics

THE Minister for Tourism and Employment, Joana Barcelo, has not had a good week to say the least. After two of her most senior employees resigned at the Ministry for Tourism, the 2010 Active Population Study, carried out by the national Statistics Institute, revealed yesterday that, at the end of last year, there were a total of 128'600 people out of work in the Balearics. Over the course of last year, 16'200 (14.45 percent) more people lost their jobs than in 2009 and the rate of unemployment in the Balearics is now running at 22.3 percent, two points above the national average and the rate of growth in unemployment is nearly double the national average of 8.5 percent. According to the report, the number of people out of work has been steadily rising since 2006, the last year that a drop in unemployment was recorded. The latest figures has set alarm bells ringing with local elections under four months away. Read Full Article

Hoteliers call for repeal of total smoking ban due to heavy losses

PROMPTED by serious loss of income, the 74 associations which go to make up the National Hoteliers Federation (FEHR) have joined forces at the Tourism Fair currently being held in Madrid to demand the repeal of the total smoking ban. The FEHR says that the ban applicable to all public enclosed spaces, and some which are not enclosed such as those surrounding schools and hospitals, is affecting the hostelry industry on a nationwide basis. The Federation wants to provide accounting evidence of its losses to show to Central Government after less than a month of the ban being in force. It also intends to ask that the law be modified to bring it in line with other European Union member states which have imposed smoking restrictions as opposed to a total ban. Association representatives are to collect signatures from their members, to pressure the Ministry for Health to reconsider. Read Full Article

Smoking ban has cost service sector 30 to 50 percent in losses

THE smoking ban which came into force on January 2 has hit bar and restaurant takings hard, according to small business organisation's Restaurant Association. Just two weeks after the strict restrictions were introduced, the President of the Restaurant Association, Juan Cabrera, slammed the ban as a "witch hunt" and also complained that the smoking prohibition has been introduced during one of the worst periods in the history of the bar and restaurant sector. Cabrera said that bar takings over the past two weeks have already fallen by between 30 and 50 percent while the future of an estimated 30 percent of his members' establishments is in doubt. He also hit out at the Ministry for Health, Social Services and Equality for this week suggesting that plans by clubs, bars and restaurants to set up special smoking clubs will be deemed illegal. Read Full Article

Balearics fends off flu as virus gathers momentum

WITH 109.8 cases for every 100'000 head of population, the incidence of flu in the Balearic Islands is well below the national average of 154.04, the Carlos III Institute disease watchdog reported yesterday. A spokesman warned however, that flu is on the increase. According to the Institute's latest weekly report, the upturn in the number of cases is due to the renewed spread of the A/H1N1 virus. It has been the cause of 85 percent of serious cases needing hospitalisation, the spokesman said. Findings showed that the national flu incidence level during the week from 26th December to 1st January which stood at 153.4 cases per 100'000 head of population had in fact doubled from the rate the previous week when 86.62 cases were registered. Read Full Article

Balearic smokers will have to adapt to New Year's total ban

FROM 2nd January, Central Government is imposing a new smoking ban. There are already partial bans in place which were introduced in two separate stages. The Balearics, with its so-called "Anti-Drugs Law" which was approved by Parliament on 19th April, 2005, was the first region in the whole of the country which laid down legislation separating smokers from non-smokers in public places. After its approval by Parliament, the law which was popularly known as the "Anti-Smoking Law" even though it covered the use of other addictive substances was enforced on 10th July the same year spearheaded by the then regional Health Minister Aina Castillo and the regional coordinator for Drug Dependency, Bartomeu Jaume. Finally, the total smoking ban to come into force on 2nd January will prohibit the practice in all closed public places meaning discothèques as well as bars, cafés and restaurants. The law will allow smoking in hotels although 70 percent of the rooms will need to be smoke-free, in prisons, psychiatric centres and in "smokers' clubs." Read Full Article

Tour operators benefit from the strikes and snow

TOUR operators may benefit from the disruption caused by the recent bad weather and strikes in Spain because they "look after their customers". Tui Travel chief executive Peter Long said that recent events, including the snow which closed Gatwick for three days last week and hit Scottish airports, had highlighted to consumers the value of tour operators over no-frills airlines. "We are trying to make it very clear that, in periods of uncertainty when we get bad weather, the big tour operators will look after you," he said. "With all the chaos, it has been shown that we do a better job as a major tour operator. Customer sentiment is changing towards us in a positive way as we don't leave customers stranded." More than 20'000 UK passengers were left stranded by last Friday's strike, which lasted until Saturday afternoon when Spain issued an emergency decree to end the 24-hour industrial action that saw the military taking over its air traffic control system. Read Full Article

Nearly one in ten are out of work in the Balearics

THE Balearic population now stands at over 1'106'049 people, central government confirmed yesterday. In preparation for the local elections in May of next year, the latest official figures correspond to the number of people registered with their town halls on January 1, 2010. So, while the official figure is 1'106'049, it could actually be slightly higher by the time the election come around and that figure does not include those residents who are not registered with their town hall, as is the case with a number of foreign residents. Despite the recession and reports of an increase in immigrants, in particular those from South America, taking the government up on its offer of financial assistance to return home, according to central government, the Balearics continues to have one of the fastest growing populations in Spain. Between January 1, 2009 and the start of this year, the local population swelled by 10'623. Read Full Article

October tourism spending boom eases the pain of poor start to year.

THE late improvement in the Balearic tourist industry continued last month with tourism spending up by 12.2 percent, in comparison to October last year, and the sharp rise has finally pushed the region's tourism figures into the red. The Balearic Minister for Tourism, Joana Barcelo, presented the data, provided by the Ministry for Tourism, Commerce and Industry in Madrid, yesterday and said that the positive spending figures for the past couple of months will help significantly to off set the losses the sector incurred during the very tough and slow start to the year. In total, foreign visitors to the Balearics spent 670 million euros last month and the 12.2 increase is the sharpest October rise since 2004, while the total amount of money spent by foreign and national visitors was 760 million euros.. Read Full Article

Europeans planning to take fewer trips next year

CONSUMERS across Europe are planning to take fewer leisure and business trips in 2011, a new survey has revealed. Research by Deloitte showed that of the 4'000 respondents from the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, the number who stayed in a hotel during the last 12 months remained "very flat" year-on-year. In the UK and Spain, it rose slightly from 20% to 63%, and from 64% to 65% in Italy. This contrasted with German respondents, with the number who stayed in a hotel last year rising from 45% to 55%. Across all four countries for 2011, consumers indicated that they would be making significantly fewer leisure and business trips compared with 2010, as uncertainty in the market continues. Read Full Article

Four yachts destroyed by gales in Andratx

THE Port of Andratx was yet again counting the costs of the past two days of gale force winds yesterday. The picturesque port is always caught up in the eye of the winter storms which batter the island and the fierce winds and heavy rain have taken their toll again. A total of four vessels were damaged including an eight-metre launch which was only bought recently by a local for 30'000 euros. There was not much left yesterday apart from broken boats floating about the port. There has been much talk over the past year of improving the port’s breakwater, itself seriously damaged by a storm a few years ago, but since repaired, and installing better protection for smaller vessels, especially those moored in the middle of the port. Read Full Article

Hoteliers battle Thomas Cook

MAJORCAN hoteliers are joining the tourist industry throughout Spain in denouncing British tour operator Thomas Cook for illegally applying a 5 percent discount to its invoices to clients in August and September this year. The announcement was made yesterday by the Majorcan Hotel Federation (FEHM) after a meeting in Palma of some 50 Majorcan tourist companies and associations that have been affected by the move. "We are determined to use every legal means at our disposal to reclaim this money from the tour operator," a spokesman said. Attendees at the meeting said that it was important to involve the Balearic government in their struggle to retain the money which they perceive as being lawfully theirs, otherwise it will set a "dangerous precedent" in the tourist industry. "This action has never before been taken by a tour operator," the spokesman continued. FEHM is forming a united front with other hotel federations around the country including those in Benidorm, Costa del Sol, and the Canary Islands. Read Full Article

Royal Caribbean targets fly-cruise hike in Majorca

ROYAL Caribbean International is targeting a hike in fly-cruise passengers from Majorca and Malaga next summer. The line, which is deploying five ships from Spanish ports in 2011, expects numbers to double from Malaga. The company carried 30'000 passengers on cruises from Costa del Sol port this summer, with 40 percent coming from the UK and Ireland. Total numbers are projected to rise to 77'000 next year, with the majority of travelers from the UK and Ireland also adding on a land stay in the Costa del Sol region. Royal Caribbean is also sailing from the popular Spanish departure port of Barcelona next year and is operating fly-cruises from Palma for the first time with Grandeur of the Seas. The line's new UK and Ireland managing director Dominic Paul said: "Barcelona has long been a popular homeport for Royal Caribbean International and we have enjoyed significant growth in the UK for take up of cruises offered from Malaga since 2009. "To continue to stimulate the British holidaymaker's love affair with Spain, new for summer 2011 we have introduced cruises from Palma for the first time. "The good news is that these cruises are also delivering pre- and post-cruise land stays - this is fantastic for the Spanish hoteliers and the Spanish tourist industry in general." Read Full Article

Late season surge for Balearic tourism

THE Balearic Islands was the region of Spain with the second highest increase in the number of tourists visiting in September this year in comparison with the same month in 2009, Central Government researchers reported yesterday. According to the study by tourist movement watchdog "Frontur" commissioned by the Ministry for Industry, Tourism and Commerce, the 1'338'513 tourists who came to the Balearics last September represented a 9.4 percent increase on numbers who visited 12 months previously. The increase was superseded only by September tourist numbers in the Canary Islands where a year-on-year increase of 12.9 percent was registered. Frontur showed that all regions of the country favoured by international tourism reported a year-on-year growth in the number of visitors last September. Read Full Article

MALLORCA HOGROCK GETS UNDERWAY

MALLORCA Hogrock 2010 has kicked off at the Calvia fairground on the Son Bugadellas industrial estate with Harley Davidson chapters and lovers from all over Europe having ridden to the island for the four-day event. The event is the largest gathering of Harley Davidsons ever in Majorca and a wide range of activities, events, demonstrations and concerts has been organised by promoters Adapta Marketing & Comunicacion in association with Fundacion Calvia and Harley Owners Group - Majorca Chapter which was founded in 1993 and is the second oldest in Spain. Tonight, at 7pm, the highlight is going to be the concert by the legendary singer, songwriter, journalist and author Elliot Murphy who has played with Bruce Springsteen and a host of other great rock musicians over the years.. Read Full Article

184 MILLION EUROS LESS FOR THE BALEARICS NEXT YEAR

THE Balearic government is to present its budget for 2011, even though it doesn't have the necessary approval from opposition parties, government spokesperson, Joana Barcelo said yesterday. The total amount of spending, she reported, will amount to 3'200 million euros, 184 million (5.4 percent) less than last year. Speaking after a government meeting, Barcelo said that the regional Tax and Economy ministry is putting the finishing touches to the budget proposals, the final date for which is 30th October. Barcelo, who is also the Balearic Minister for Tourism and Employment, said that the reduction in spending levels is being introduced as a result of economy demands being made by European Institutions which want the public deficit brought down by 1.3 percent. Read Full Article

14 illegal immigrants caught after slipping ashore in Llucmajor

THE first group of illegal immigrants attempting to slip into Majorca by boat this year, were caught yesterday. The alarm was raised by a local resident just after 9am when the five metre fishing boat of illegal immigrants was spotted coming ashore between Cala Pi and Vallgornera in Llucmajor and a group of men changing their clothes in between the rocks. Members of the National Police and the Guardia Civil responded and while many of the immigrants had already come ashore and dispersed by the time the security forces reached the scene, a massive search was immediately mounted and 14 were caught and arrested. Read Full Article

35 mln euros for Majorcan railway improvements

THE Balearic government has approved 35.2 million euros for improvements in the Majorcan Railway Service (SFM), the regional Transport and Environment ministry confirmed yesterday. The financing will be split up into sectors for improving safety in rolling stock (6.7 million), electrification of the line (25.2 million), the upgrade of a railway cutting, and the reconstruction of the railway line retaining wall at Sineu which collapsed in May this year causing a derailment (3.2 million). Regional Minister, Gabriel Vicens said that the government was going to set aside 6.8 million euros for a number of projects including the dismantling of the level crossing on the Sant Jordi road. Read Full Article

Islands step up fight to keep air travel discount

THE fight by the people of the Balearic Islands to keep the right to a 50 percent discount on inter-island flights and connections with the mainland will be taken to the heart of Central Government next week. Pere Sampol, the "Bloc" coalition Senator representing the Islands will be asking the Minister for Public Works, Jose Blanco, next Tuesday, if he would clarify whether or not there is going to be a change in the rights that Balearic European Union citizens have to air travel discounts. "It's important the Minister makes clear what his intentions are," said Sampol "and if he is in fact going to reduce them after all, we need to know by how much." The Senator said he will be representing what he described as the "unanimous opposition" by all political parties and social organisations in the Balearic Islands to any reduction of the discount. Read Full Article

British Residents Start Helping a New Wave of Wounded Troops

TODAY, a wounded member of REME, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, will be flying into Majorca for a week's holiday thanks to the goodwill of a local British resident and next month, another group of Light Dragoons wounded in Afghanistan will also be coming out to Majorca courtesy of some good hearted British residents. Robyn Dyche was caught up in a RPG (Rocket propelled grenade) blast in Afghanistan last year but is still recovering with a number of operations still pending. REME Corps Welfare Warrant Officer Cliff Johnson contacted the Bulletin after having seen what former Irish Guard Stan Bowles did last year for the seriously wounded Marine Andy Grant and the Light Dragoons and Johnson hopes that Dyche will be the first of a number of wounded soldiers, from Afghanistan and Iraq, who will be coming out to Majorca. Read Full Article

British Visitors Spark Sharpest Rise in Tourism Spending Since 2004

IT appears that July bucked all the trends in the Balearic tourist industry and could turn what started off as another poor summer season on its head. Over the past week we have seen that the Balearics enjoyed the sharpest increase in the number of foreign visitors for a decade, in particular from Britain, and that Palma was the busiest low cost airport in Spain last month with a slight year-on-year rise in passengers led again by the British holiday market. And yesterday, the Minister for Tourism and Commerce in Madrid reported that tourism spending in the Balearics last month rose by 12.5 percent - the sharpest increase in Spain and finally reversing the downward trend which began in April of last year. Last month, tourists spent 1'800 million euros in the Balearics and, according to the Ministry report, it is the British who are spending the most. With the Balearics being the number one destination for the British this Bank Holiday weekend, the news was welcomed by the local Minister for Tourism, Joana Barcelo. Read Full Article

British travel firm introduces special Majorca winter trips

THE decision by Monarch Airlines to operate six flights per week to Palma from Gatwick and Manchester throughout the winter is already starting to attract the attention of other operators with Cosmos, part of the Monarch Group, having devised a winter programme for Majorca. Monarch has made it clear to the local tourism authorities, which have corresponded by agreeing to help market the winter flights, that it is determined to make winter tourism in Majorca work. Cosmos's winter programme is going to be focusing on short city breaks and golfing holidays and has linked up with a number of hotels to cater for their clients. For example, the Hotel Costa Azul on the Paseo Maritimo in Palma, will be the short city break hotel while golfers will be staying at the Iberostar Royal Cupido where they will be entitled to a number of attractive savings on green fees etc. at the Puntiro Golf Course. Read Full Article

Call for "calm" over balcony falls

A call for “calm” over anxiety prompted by the number of tourists falling from hotel balconies in the Balearics was made yesterday by the regional Minister for the Interior, Pilar Costa. The Minister claimed that such accidents happen “every year” and are “exceptions” considering that 10 million visitors come to the Balearics within the space of just a few months. Reporting on the number of incidents which have taken place around the Balearic coastline during July, Costa confirmed that so far this year, nine people have died in falls from buildings in the Islands. She qualified her statement however, by pointing out that the statistics didn’t just refer to tragedies involving falls from balconies, but from any part of a building and could include people trying to commit suicide. Read Full Article

"Britons are far more European than they realise...."

THE British Ambassador to Spain, Giles Paxman, said yesterday that Britons are far more European than they realise but at the same time stressed the need for the “new British tourist” to be better prepared and informed before they travel overseas. The Ambassador explained that because of the sheer volume of British residents and tourists, an estimated 13.5 million last year, the British consular corps in Spain has to deal with many problems not experienced by consulates and embassies in other parts of the world. There are an estimated one million registered Britons living in Spain, about 50'000 of those in the Balearics and obviously, the Embassy and consulates neither have the remits nor resources to help in every case. Read Full Article

Palma airport celebrates 50 years of international air passenger service

PALMA airport is starting to celebrate half a century of serving fare paying passengers this weekend with a series of receptions, awards and concerts which are programmed to last until the end of the year. It was on 18th July, 1960, when Son Bonet aerodrome in Palma closed its doors to a tourist airline industry which was bursting at the seams and handed the torch to the neighbouring installations at Son Sant Joan. Further investment of 152 million euros is planned for Son Sant Joan from 2011-2014 in a five-year development project. Read Full Article

Palma is busiest low cost airport in Spain

PALMA’S Son San Joan airport was the busiest low cost airport during the first half of this year. According to the latest data released by Spanish airport authority AENA, Palma airport handled a total of 2.3 million low cost passengers during the first six months of this year, 77 percent of the total number of passengers flying into Spain with low cost airlines. Nationwide, the growth in low cost passengers is continuing this year and now, the no frills carriers are carrying more passengers than regular scheduled airlines. According to AENA, nearly 55 percent of all air passengers travelled with a low cost carrier to Spain. Read Full Article

WORLD CUP WINNING WEDDING FOR PREMIER LEAGUE STAR

LITTLE did Everton's star Spanish midfielder, Mikel Arteta and his fiancée, Miss Spain 1999 Lorena Bernal know when they sent out their wedding invitations that many of the guests tonight are World Cup winners. The Everton player who is being linked with a move to Manchester City and his fiancée have spent the best part of the week going over the final plans for this evening's wedding at a private estate in Campos. The first of Spain's World Cup winning side began arriving on Thursday. Famous for being the star of the party, Arteta led the famous European Champions-winning celebrations in Madrid two years ago. Liverpool and Spain goal keeper Pepe Reina jetted into Palma on Thursday evening looking forward to the weekend of celebrations which apparently include a party at Mood club on Sunday. Everton are currently on a pre-season tour in Australia and Australian international midfielder Tim Cahill, who played in the World Cup, has been given special leave to fly all the way to Majorca to be Arteta's best man when he weds the model and actress. Read Full Article

Majorca on Heat Alert

MAJORCA was yesterday placed on level one heat alert with maximum temperatures forecast to reach 36ºC and the heat wave is not going to ease until the weekend, according to met. office sources. After one of the wettest and coolest Junes on record, July has got off to one of its hottest starts for 30 years with temperatures at least 2ºC above average with farmers claiming that this year, we are going to have a long and hot summer lasting well into October and possibly longer. The key areas yesterday were the Sierra de Tramontana and the south of the island, that is where temperatures were expected to reach between 34ºC and 36ºC. Read Full Article

Majorca could host first F1 race in 2013

05 July 2010 by David Roche

Surely it can't be true? Formula 1 racing on the island of Mallorca? - Well actually, it makes perfect sense and could become a reality in time for the 2013 season. Spain's Valencia Formula 1 event has taken a lot of criticism recently with many commentators saying that the event is drab with few overtaking opportunities, so Bernie Ecclestome, the F1 supremo is seriously contemplating a bid from Mallorca who are planning a new medium-to-high-speed 5.8km, 3.6 miles circuit in the centre of the island, in the municipality of Llucmajor. Read Full Article

Met. Office predicts a "hotter than normal" summer

28 June 2010

SUMMER this year in the Balearics is going to be hotter than normal, in stark contrast to the unusually cold spring weather we have left behind, Agusti Jansa, regional Met. Office Chief said yesterday. Today and tomorrow, the last weekend in June, said Jansa, temperatures will be high but not excessively so. It will reach 30 degrees Centigrade in the centre of Majorca while the coastal areas will be slightly cooler at between 28 and 29 degrees. Ibiza and Formentera will be cooler still with maximum temperatures wavering between 26 and 27 degrees. Read Full Article

SUN, SEA AND SAND HOLIDAYS REMAIN TOP PRIORITY FOR BRITONS

21 June 2010

THE latest market survey in the UK has revealed that overseas holidays, in particular to sun, sea and sand destinations, remain a top priority for most Britons. According to the results of the survey carried out by ebookers.com, holidays remain a top priority with consumers admitting that they would sacrifice other expenditures to ensure they enjoy an overseas break. Read Full Article