Tour operators to bring extra 40,000 visitors to Menorca this year

The move puts a halt to the trend for travel companies to include fewer beds in Menorca in their brochures and will give the local tourist sector a breathing space until 2012 during which accommodation can be modernised and products and services improved, with the help of public money. Three million euros per year will be available, provided by the State Government, Balearic Government and Island Council of Menorca.

Under the agreement, Cosmos-Monarch have undertaken to increase the 120,000 beds they currently have programmed for Menorca by 10% over the next three years. TUI Germany are to schedule three extra flights per week this summer, flying from Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Stuttgart, with the aim of increasing their sales of holidays on the island by 60% this year.

The German tour operator Rewe started to push holidays in Menorca during 2009 and predict that this year they will bring 15,000 tourists to the island. The company has undertaken to increase sales by 15% this year, 10% in 2011 and 5% in 2012.

The president of ASHOME, Joan Melis, stressed the importance of the agreements without which, he stated, Menorca would have been facing the loss of 70,000 visitors this year. He added that "we now have to be able to reverse the trend which has lost us nearly 400,000 tourists in the last six years".

Whilst at the Madrid trade fair, Melis took the opportunity to meet representatives from the State Tourist Board to discuss matters such as the Senior Tourism Programme and also to talk to various travel agencies interested in working with ASHOME's web site, visitmenorca.com, which had 2.5 million visits last year.

FITUR also provided the setting for the Island Council's meetings with British travel companies and low-cost airlines, while the Fundació Destí met representatives from the main Spanish tourist offices in various European cities and presented the Camí de Cavalls to the specialised press.

Various other associations linked to tourism participated in the fair, grouped under the heading Menorca Activa, by taking space on the Balearic stand.

This year, in addition to a restaurant serving Balearic products and background music, the stand at FITUR was offering perfumes specifically designed for each of the four islands with a fifth scent representing the archipelago as a whole. The "evocative aromas" were especially created by one of Spàin's top perfumers, Dario Sirerol.

British and German tourists insist on value for money

A survey carried out by the European Commission has analysed tourist preferences and forecasts for spending and length of holiday this year.

The study shows that for 59% of Germans and 52% of British, value for money is the most important consideration when choosing a holiday destination, whereas cultural activities polled 36% and 29% respectively. Some 22% of Germans were looking for quality of service and price was a major factor for 30% of U.K. holidaymakers.

Almost one third of the Germans questioned planned to go on holiday for 13 or more nights this year, compared to one quarter of the British, with 23% of both nationalities opting for 4 or more nights and 4% of each for a break of between 1 and 3 nights.

In respect of holiday expenses 31% of those surveyed anticipated problems in financing this year's vacations.

The report showed that last year 34% of tourists had to reduce their holiday budget, cutting back on the length of stay, type of accommodation, transport or leisure activities enjoyed.