BALEARICS STEPS UP ITS UK TOURISM CAMPAIGN AFTER POSITIVE RESPONSE

THE midsummer upturn in the tourist industry the Bulletin has been reporting over the past few weeks has sparked the Balearic Ministry for Tourism into stepping up its promotional and marketing campaign in the UK as well as France and Poland.

It appears that the 1.5 million euro marketing drive launched in the UK a few months has worked.
During July there was a 13.8 percent increase in the number of British visitors.
And, according to the Minister for Tourism, Joana Barcelo, the region has begun to recuperate some of the British tourists the Balearics lost during the first six months of the year.

However, there are two other main factors which has given the local tourism authorities encouragement.
Firstly, is the commitment by the new BA CiytFlyer service from London City Airport to Palma and Ibiza launched earlier this summer and the decision by Monarch to operate six flights per week to Palma from Gatwick and Manchester throughout the winter.

Barcelo said yesterday that, in association with the Spanish tourist board Turespaña in London, it is doing everything it can to prolong the season, especially as the flights are going to be available this year. CityFlyer will not be running all winter but Barcelo is in talks with the airline to bring forward its 2011 start date to March in order to catch the early Spring holiday makers. Mar Guerrero, the Director of the newly formed Balearic Tourism Agency is in negotiations with BA CityFlyer and the Balearics are going to be setting up a joint information point at Canary Wharf where information about Ibiza and Majorca will be available along with the opportunity to book a CityFlyer flight there and then.

The Ministry for Tourism and the Agency are also working with Monarch to make sure their winter programme works.
Monarch will also be operating all winter to Minorca and Barcelo said yesterday they are in talks with the airline over a winter service to Ibiza.
The Balearic Ministry for Tourism's strategy is to capture as many last minute bookings during what is left of the summer and then carry the momentum through the winter. A similarly aggressive promotions and marketing approach is being taken to the French and Polish markets where the two tourism bodies believe there is a significant amount of potential for winter tourists, especially as Air Europa is going to be launching new winter routes to Paris.