IN FOCUS BALEARICS THE REAL DEALS
Spain’s Balearic Islands, once a shoe-in as most popular sunshine getaway for UK travellers, are now on travellers' hit lists again – and it’s not hard to understand why, says Dave Richardson
he Balearic Islands – that is Majorca, Minorca and Ibiza – have been at the forefront of British package holidays for half a century, and remain a key destination for DIY packages due to the huge range of low-cost fl ights and accommodation. The Balearics perhaps represent the true essence of a Mediterranean holiday and are back in favour despite losing some business to cheaper destinations outside the eurozone.
T
Menorca and Ibiza go quiet at this time of year as the season ends in
October, and there are no more direct fl ights until May. But some resort hotels in Majorca open for much of the winter, and Palma does good business year- round with autumn and spring the key times for city breaks.
Whatever 2013 might bring for eurozone and non-eurozone countries, you can bet that the Balearics will retain their appeal. Look beyond the mass market to the up-market options you can offer customers, with high-end hotels on all the islands and the widest range of activities in Majorca.
Balearics Majorca
Majorca is the largest island and also the most diverse, with its image as a mecca for cheap packages often obscuring its wider appeal. The mass market resorts around the Bay of Palma – Magaluf and Palma Nova are the most popular for British visitors – are only part of the story, as around the northern and eastern coasts are smaller, more family- oriented resorts such as Alcudia, Pollensa and Cala d’Or. The Sierra de Tramuntana mountains
run along the west coast, with picturesque villages perched on the cliffs rather than big resorts on acres of sand. An exception to this on the west coast is the very pretty resort of Puerto de Soller, chosen by luxury Dubai-based hotel group Jumeirah for its fi rst property in Spain. You can reach the town of Soller on a picturesque rail journey from Palma, then ride down to Puerto de Soller on an antiquated tram. Jumeirah’s investment says a lot about the up-market appeal of Majorca,
12 September/October 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
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