10/12/2002 00:00
TW
0

The Balearics are going to find it hard to attract British tourists for Christmas as a new survey reveals that most Britons want what the Balearics can not offer this time of year - sun, sand and Kylie Minogue. Britons are no longer dreaming of a white Christmas but of Mauritius or another tropical isle. A survey by credit card NatWest Black finds that rather than chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Britons would rather roast themselves on a beach over the festive season. About half (49%) of those polled name Mauritius as one of their top destinations while 39% list Bermuda as one of their favourite getaway locales. While there, those surveyed would want to listen to Kylie Minogue (34%) or Robbie Williams (33%) and sip Dom Perignon champagne while Jamie Oliver cooks the Christmas turkey. Indeed turkey is one of the few traditional Christmas staples to fare well in the survey, with 56% saying it is still their preferred yuletide dish. And perhaps unsurprisingly most men 68% would love to see James Bond's Aston Martin Vanquish waiting under their Christmas tree. Clearly, people's idea of the perfect Christmas is changing with the times. “Traditions are being challenged and we now crave lying on a sunny beach rather than being surrounded by snow,” NatWest Black marketing manager Fiona Gaze-Fitzgibbon said. “Although we still want to tuck into a Christmas turkey dinner and celebrate with the popping of champagne corks.” One of the biggest concerns regarding the Balearics however continues to be price. Yesterday a group of tourism experts at the Economic Forum being held in Palma, agreed that, not only are the tourism figures this year worse than expected, the tourist industry needs to moderate its prices in order to be able to compete with the cheaper destinations. The Forum was informed however that package holiday prices rose this year because of a 25 per increase in the complimentary sector, such as bars and restaurants, but costs have stabilised and will allow more room for price reductions next year.