Balearics judged to be unfriendly to visitors

THE Balearics is the second unfriendliest tourist destination after Catalonia, according to a report drawn up by the ESADE business school and made public yesterday. If you want a really friendly welcome, the report says, then head for Galicia.
The report was presented at an international tourism and leisure symposium in Barcelona, and it is the result of 1'100 phone interviews in the six regions which account for 70 percent of Spanish tourists. ESADE spokesman Josep Francesc Valls said that the purpose of the survey was to discover what made people choose their holiday destination.
In the medium term, he said, hospitality is going to be one of the key factors, and will be even more important than the environment.
Bottom of the list in the hospitality stakes were the Catalans who scored only 6.4 points out of ten (Catalonia includes not only Barcelona but the Costa Brava). The Balearics did not fare much better, with 6.8 points, compared to Galicia, which came out top with eight points, while long-time Balearic rivals the Canary Islands tied for second place with Castille-La Mancha with 7.6 points. Other important factors when it comes to choosing a holiday destination include the climate, the gastronomy and the cultural offer, although the cost of living in the destination and the cost of travel are also becoming increasingly more important. For culture vultures, Madrid is the top spot with 8.5 points, followed by Catalonia with 7.3 points.
Galicia is also tops in the culinary stakes, with 8.2 points, followed by the Basque Country (8.1 points), while the Canary Islands have the best beaches (7.1 points). Catalonia, however, is the most popular area for young travellers because of its night life and outdoor activities.