Winter wonders

“Majorca is a great place for a winter holiday...” Now, we have all said this before but this statement was made to me yesterday by a local hotelier who has opened all winter and has found that there is demand for low season holidays on the island. Geoff Hopkins decided to open his Sis Hotel in Puerto Pollensa while most of his counterparts were closing their doors for business.  And not only has his gamble proved a success he has decided to open again next winter. This is definately a step in the right direction and hopefully other hoteliers will follow his lead. There is so much more to this island than just the sun and the beach. Bird watchers, cyclists and hikers all headed to Puerto Polllensa this winter and many will be returning again next year. There are signs of the greens shoots of recovery in winter tourism on the island and with the promise of more flights next year the island could once again become a top winter sun holiday destination. What is needed is the necessary courage and forward thinking by the tourist industry. The Balearic government are quite rightly promoting the island as a sporting destination. From cycling to athletics, Majorca has some excellent facilities. So let us hope that we can look back on 2013/14 as a watershed year when Majorca became a low season destination again. All we need is to encourage the tourists who visit us this summer to return during the winter months and discover another side of this beautiful island.