Vich explained yesterday that there had been a good deal of work on this development at November's World Travel Market in London. "The mayor of Palma, José Hila, the councillor for tourism, Joana Maria Adrover, and the director of the Palma 365 Foundation, Pedro Homar, and myself all held talks with representatives of Jet2 as well as those from easyJet and British Airways. These were to study flight schedules to Majorca in 2016. The fact that city-break packages are now being sold is unprecedented, especially as 90% of the marketing is done online."
Jet2's reception partner, NT incoming, has channelled the first visitors across the island, but especially to Palma's old town and Paseo Marítimo as well as to Puerto Pollensa. Hotel occupancy in Palma this weekend, notes Vich, will be 65%.
In coming weeks, TUI UK, Thomas Cook, Cosmos and Monarch will also be starting their first flights to Majorca and coinciding with the re-opening of hotels that are themselves going to be operational earlier.
The relative strength of the pound is expected to attract ever more UK tourists to Majorca from now until November and to give them some 20% greater purchasing power than in some recent years. El Corte Inglés note that UK tourists coming to Palma in the winter season are different to those of summer, as they are interested in things other than the beach, such as shopping and culture.
The flamenco greeting that the Manchester passengers received on Thursday at the airport was a celebration of Jet2's new winter programme to Majorca. The company has expanded its product for what is one of its most successful destinations in order to meet growing demand from visitors wishing to enjoy Majorca during the winter. The fully booked Manchester flight on Thursday adds to a schedule, including new flights for the summer, that will make Jet2 the UK's leading operator to Majorca from Manchester this year.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays says: "Majorca is one of our most successful destinations, which is why we wanted to expand our programme to give people even more opportunities to visit this popular island. The fact that our first three flights are full shows just how much demand there is for these early-season flights.
"It's a completely different place to explore in the winter. The mild climate means it is perfect for avid cyclists and walkers, while people wanting to immerse themselves in local culture can experience one of the many fiestas or simply explore the stunning city of Palma. There really is a great mix for everyone."
And as if to reinforce the message regarding cycling in Majorca in winter, there was further excellent publicity for this on BBC Five Live's BeSpoke cycling programme on Thursday evening. In addition to broadcasting interviews with Team Sky's Chris Froome and Sir Dave Brailsford from when the team was training on the island last month, a clear and positive general message was given about the benefits of Majorca for cycling.
Of other early Jet2 flights to Majorca, these will be starting from Leeds Bradford on 26 February and from Edinburgh on 3 March.
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