SH11-13 jan23 20/1/09 15:28 Page 62
knowledge short-haul summer
ttglive.com
families and young people on a budget.
A 20-mile promenade now links the main
resorts in the Calvia region, which include
Magaluf, Palma Nova, Santa Ponsa, Peguera,
Illetas and Portals Nous.
The FTO, now merged with Abta, is
working with the Calvia region on its
Travelife Sustainability System. This encour-
ages hotels to respect the environment and
involve local people as much as possible.
Chris Thompson, the FTO’s head of
responsible tourism, says: “We are hoping
that Majorca will become the flagship
Travelife destination and pave the way for
the introduction of the system throughout
the Balearics and mainland Spain.
“This will send a clear message to popular
destinations everywhere that we want to
introduce the Travelife Sustainability System
as the tool of choice for British operators.”
TORREMOLINOS.
The Costa del Sol is now heavily urbanised
all the way from Malaga to Marbella, but its Benidorm has invested heavily to overcome its high-rise image (above), while Golden Sands has also improved its facilities (below)
largest mass-market resort has improved its
facilities and positioned itself as the gateway fleet despite major hotel development. St
to the region. George’s Bay is quieter but with easy access
Most hotels have been refurbished, to nightlife.
an example being the four-star Cervantes Emma Yorke, agency sales manager of
which has a new rooftop swimming pool Malta specialist Belleair Holidays, says: “St
which is covered in winter. Julian’s has had a lot of investment in the
A new promenade, direct rail link from past 10 years, and St George’s Bay has had
Malaga airport and a new lift linking the a major overhaul with the creation of its
resort centre to the beach make Torremolinos own sandy beach. These resorts now appeal
more appealing. to a broader base of people looking for a
Cosmos area manager Tracey Cotelo-Knight cosmopolitan feel.”
says: “With the help of the Andalucian
Tourist Board, Torremolinos is heavily pro-
moted as a great base to see places of interest
GOLDEN SANDS.
such as Granada and Seville, or to play golf. Bulgaria’s main beach resorts were built by
“As it is close to the airport and only a the Communist regime in the 1960s, with
short flight from the UK, it is appealing for ugly concrete blocks designed for workers’
the elderly during the winter and families in holidays.
the summer.” Many of the ugly blocks remain in Golden
Sands and Sunny Beach, but otherwise these
resorts have been transformed.
MALTA.
Chris Rand, Balkan Holidays’ sales and
Malta has a limited number of sandy beaches marketing manager, says: “The beach at
to attract families, and the generation who Golden Sands is beautiful, and it now has
served here during the Second World War has
“The beach at Golden
some of the finest hotels in the region, such
died off, meaning the island had to diversify.
Sands is beautiful and
as the Melia Hermitage, a huge five-star
Its largest resort, Sliema, has built a hotel with every facility you could dream of.
promenade and is a good base for sightseeing
the resort now has
“Recently, a new water park was built,
in nearby Valletta, the capital.
some of the finest
the Aquapolis. New golf courses are also a
The major developments are close to Sliema significant addition to tourism in Bulgaria.”
in St Julian’s, Paceville and St George’s Bay,
hotels in the region”
Quality is now on a par with
where most of the hotels are five-star. Mediterranean resorts, at much lower prices.
Paceville is the top spot for nightlife in Chris Rand, Bulgaria should sell out this year because of
Malta, while St Julian’s still has a fishing Balkan Holidays high prices in the eurozone.
62 23.01.2009
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