NO STARRING ROLE IN LONDON THIS YEAR

WTM, one of the world's most important travel trade fairs, opens on Monday and Tourism Minister Joan Flaquer, who will be leading the Balearic delegation, admitted yesterday that it is proving very difficult to obtain any clear indications as to how the British holiday market and Balearic sales are shaping up for next year. Flaquer said that people are booking much later while far fewer are booking with travel agents, preferring to book independently using the internet.

Last year, the Balearics enjoyed its 15 minutes of fame when Michael Douglas appeared on the stand to help promote the region.
However, he will not be appearing this year, with the main focus of the WTM's 25th anniversary event on Greece, one of the Balearics' main competitors.

Douglas, who agreed to make four appearances at trade fairs as part of the four million euro deal the government struck to take Costa Nord cultural centre off his hands, will be guest star at the FITUR fair in Madrid early next year.

Flaquer said that the Balearics will be using the fair to probe the British holiday industry and discuss the condition of the market with the main tour operators. “At my first World Travel Market in 1993,” Flaquer said yesterday “there were clear indications as to how the forthcoming season was going to perform. That no longer happens as booking habits and the market has changed so much since then.” Balearic tourism bosses and leading hoteliers will be holding the usual round of talks with tour operators and travel agents. Balearic leader Jaume Matas will be meeting the head of the International Federation of Tour Operators, Martin Brackenbury. The Balearics will also be using its newly designed stand to try and promote low season, winter tourism and new schemes such as shopping in Palma.