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all-inclusive from £36. “Menorca and Ibiza don’t have as many
Traditional half-board hotels now offering luxury hotels, but we offer most of them.”
all-inclusive include the Paradise Park at Los Ian Hailes, of Cosmos, predicts that pack-
Cristianos in Tenerife, and the Timanfaya ages will out-sell accommodation-only in the
Palace in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote. Balearics this summer.
Up-market operators such as Prestige are “Hotels have lower rates for packages,
also doing well in the Canaries. especially major chains,” he says. “They
Chairman John Dixon says: “Tenerife has recognise that tour operators take a lot of
some fantastic quality hotels, and is really risk up-front.”
fighting back. But we need more family- However, sister brand Somewhere2Stay
friendly luxury hotels in Gran Canaria.” has added more chain hotels, especially in Cala Salguer, Costa Brava
Majorca, including Sol and Ola. Some have
The Balearic Islands early booking offers expiring on March 31. favourite holiday destination.
Majorca, the main island, suffered a 19% Thomas Cook reports high demand for “It is familiar to many, and easy to reach
slump in UK visitors last year to about 1.9 family hotels offering unlimited free use of from across the UK on no-frills airlines.
million, but is confident of clawing back water parks, such as Club Mac Marte in “With many special offers around,
much lost business in 2010. Alcudia, Majorca. accommodation will be better value than
Families are the key target market, but the in recent years.”
youth market remains important. A Majorca Mainland Spain The Costa Brava has been all but abandoned
Rocks hotel opens in Magalluf in June. This is the area that most concerns the trade, by big operators, whereas the Costa Dorada
Luxury is also important to Majorca. The with most package operators scaling back remains important mainly because of the
Jumeirah Hotel Group is to open its first capacity to the Costa del Sol and Costa PortAventura theme park in Salou.
European spa resort in Port Soller, on the Blanca in the last few years. But Youtravel reports brisk sales for the
north-west coast, in spring 2011. Ian Hailes, of Cosmos, says: “Mainland Costa Brava, where Gerona is a major base
Majorca is the biggest destination for resorts don’t offer the same product as the for Ryanair.
Classic Collection, which offers luxury and islands, and the Canaries in particular. Youtravel’s Paul Riches says: “Consumers
boutique hotels including rural properties. There isn’t much good, all-inclusive bed know where they want to go, which resort
Deputy managing director Matt Rice says: stock or quality apartments. and often which hotel. They’re also more
“Spain is out-performing the market for us, “Packages are holding their own, but ac- likely to pop over for a few days than a week.”
as hotels did badly in 2009. Now they are commodation-only is down significantly.” Shearings offers economic holidays to the
more competitive, with deals such as half- However, Bill Cooper, product manager Costa Brava using overnight coach travel,
board for the price of bed and breakfast. for Bedbank, says Spain remains Britain’s with prices from £209 for nine days.
es
tur
orld Pic
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Clockwise from top: Palma Cathedral, Majorca; Cala Sav Vicente, Majorca; Cala Vadella, Ibiza; Javea. Costa Blanca; and Costa Calma, Furteventura
05.03.2010 45
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