Majorca

Neighbouring island Ibiza is the party capital of Europe - but now Majorca is to offer clubbers and music lovers everywhere the opportunity to dance the night away.

The well known Ibiza Rocks Hotel in Ibiza is opening a Mallorca Rocks hotel, and it is due to open in May ready for the summer holiday season.

The Mallorca Rocks will have an impressive 330 rooms and be in Magaluf - a good location as Magaluf is where those looking to party in Majorca tend to head for, and the town has the infrastructure to support the venture - and it doesn’t change the character of any of the island’s more peaceful areas and those good for family holidays.

With the first bands due to kick off the summer music early June and the curtain coming down mid September, the Rocks will be a lively venue throughout the peak summer Majorca holidays season.

The line up of artists and bands scheduled to play isn’t known yet, but in the past acts like the Arctic Monkeys have played Ibiza, and the quality is expected to be as high on Majorca as it is in Ibiza.

For the mainly young guests likely to stay at the Mallorca Rocks, the island is less than a two hour flight, flights to Majorca are cheap, and regional airports throughout the UK have cheap Majorca flights throughout the summer.

With her great beaches, cultural offerings and sporting opportunities, Majorca is an ideal holiday location for all age groups. The island is nearly 80 kilometres long and has over 500 kilometres of coastline. Much of that coastline features beaches ranging from pristine white sand stretches to tiny out of the way coves and inlets.

Holidaymakers have traditionally visited the outskirts of the island of Majorca where they can take advantage of the beautiful scenery, the beaches and water sports - holiday companies such as Thomson Holidays have been promoting beach holidays for years - and as a result it has been known for its beach areas and relaxing environment. But now tourists are discovering Majorca as a rural destination too.

By visiting the interior of the island, tourists will see the island’s true history and can for example sample farm life. Many older farmhouses have been transformed into bed and breakfast type rooms where families and couples can stay while on holiday.

Agro tourism is a growing concept. Holidaymakers enjoy the countryside and self catering accommodation like villas - in the UK companies like James Villas have a wide choice available - cottages, apartments and fincas. Located in charming villages, these living quarters offer character in a picturesque environment.

More details about Majorca are available by visiting http://www.yourmajorca.net where they have more news and articles available.

With the pound low in value against the Euro, some British holidaymakers are swapping quality for value during the recession, and instead of booking their summer holidays to Majorca are considering areas outside the Eurozone such as Turkey and Egypt.

The Irish economy has been hit as hard as the UK’s, but for those who are taking holidays abroad this year the Irish have an advantage over the Brits when it comes to a Majorca holiday – the Euro.

Ireland like Spain has the Euro as their currency, and it means Irish holidaymakers don’t have to keep an eye on how their currency is performing and wince at the foreign exchange bureau when planning their trip – they can use the same notes and coins in Majorca as they do back home.

Majorca is still expected to be one of the British holidaymakers favourite destinations this year, but the number of Irish visitors will rise proportionately against the number of British in the year ahead.

And the same is true for the Menorca holidays industry.

The Appeal of Menorca and Majorca

The almost year round sunshine, immaculate beaches and natural beauty constantly beckon those who have been on Majorca holidays in the past.

Menorca has over a hundred beaches and is known as “The Island of Pleasant Breeze.”

Other attractions and activities in Menorca include the following:

* Visits to museums: Two popular museums in Menorca are the Museu Municipal de Ciutadella and Museu de Menorca. The first has an interesting display of artifacts from when the Muslims, Romans and Talayots lived on the island.

* The Los Delfines Aquapark: Children and the young at heart will be especially happy with the offerings here. The 12,500 square meter water park is situated just outside Ciutadella. Some of the features that visitors seem most taken with at Delfines are the Adventure River, the Black Hole and Hydrotubes.

* The Xoriguer Gin Distillery: A real gin distillery allows visitors to see how the product is made and even try a sample. Tourists who want to take home samples can buy bottles of the product. The family-owned company has been in the gin distillery business for over a century.

* Hiking: The natural beauty and landscape of Menorca makes the island ideal for nature hikes and tours.

* Water Activities: With so many beaches it is no surprise that lots of water sports activities are available to choose from. Some of the most well known beaches on Menorca are Cala Binibeca, Son Xoriguer and Son Bou. The latter has the reputation of being one of the most beautiful on the island.

Scuba diving and snorkeling offer underwater experiences hard to find anywhere else in the world. Even beginner scuba divers are not excluded, as there are classes just for them in some areas.

After a day or week of sightseeing and other activities, nothing helps a tourist relax more than a spa treatment. Many professional spas on the island help visitors unwind. Some hotels have top-class spas and facilities.

Majorca also has its own unique appeal for visitors, whether from Ireland or other countries. A rich history has left behind hints of a past that still intrigues visitors. For a relatively small place, Majorca’s many villages all have something unique about them.

It’s not just the Majorca weather that brings the tourists back time and again.

More information for Majorca is at http://www.yourmajorca.net and social media like twitter and mixx

Palma Majorca

There’s plenty of international film festivals in the world, but if done properly it can help generate huge publicity for the host.

A good example is the Venice Film Festival, which has been running for over sixty years, and helps boost visitor numbers for the Italian city at the end of August and early September.

Hotels are at full occupancy just as the European summer tourist season starts to wind down, and spending in the cafes and restaurants is up, giving Venice and her businesses a great boost compared to other European cities.

And apart from the obvious two weeks of full capacity, the publicity generated around the world ensures Venice is considered for a visit at other times of the year when it’s less busy by tourists looking for a few days away or including the city as part of a European tour.

The film festival is a week long advertisement, promoting Venice as a tourist destination, and there can be little doubt that Venice has an air of romance and culture as an image around the world. Daily reports from the world’s media including the US TV networks, the BBC, Sky and other news outlets help to promote the city in tourists minds when they come to book a trip.

The media coverage crosses the generations as the film festival is carried in celebrity and gossip magazines, plus increasingly on-line too.

So it’s no surprise given the publicity that’s gnerated around film festivals like Venice - and Cannes too - that Majorca is to try to do one too.

If all goes well the first Majorca Film Festival will take place in April 2011 - a good month to stage it according to local travel guide yourmajorca.net who say:

‘The film festival will be at the beginning of the tourist season and allow Majorca to get off to a flying start for 2011 - and with the extra publicity generated could mean 2011 will be a great year for the Majorca holidays industry.’

They also point out that the organisers haven’t just given Majorca holidays a flying start but that the timing keeps it away from both the Cannes Film Festival - mid May - and the Venice Film Festival for the end of August, ensuring that the film world will be able to include the island in their diaries.

The film festival organisers obviously know what they’re doing, and it bodes well for Majorca in 2011 and beyond.

For more details about Majorca including both the Majorca weather and a map of Majorca visit yourmajorca.net

Other holidays information can be found on Yahoo! travel and independent holiday reviews are often made on twitter

Playa de Muro Majorca

There aren’t many holiday destinations in the Mediterranean that haven’t been hit by the recession - and the drop in the number of British tourists has been keenly felt by hoteliers and other parts of the tourist industry in popular locations like Majorca.

But holidays are popular, even when there’s not much money around for some, and people who might ordinarily stay in a hotel or take a villa holiday in Majorca have either had to bite the bullet and ditch their regular trips abroad – or look at ways of still being able to take a holiday on the island.

Changing Holiday Habits

Majorca has been a popular island destination among holidaymakers from the UK for many years, and this has been helped by the number of airlines flying to Palma Airport, bringing down the cost of Majorca flights. During the summer months, many Brits have headed to Majorca to soak up some sun and enjoy her great beaches. The economic recession, however, has forced many people in the UK to seek cheaper options that will still provide lasting memories.

One of the most popular options for cash strapped Brits not wanting to miss out on their annual trip has been holiday camps. What may not have been the first choice for most pleasure seekers is gradually gaining favour and for good reason. Holiday camps offer a cheaper option for holidaymakers looking to save money. Many park owners are taking this new trend in stride and diversifying and improving their offerings. According to one recent study, one out of every 10 adult holidaymakers is likely to spend their vacation at one of these camps.

The camping experience in the UK has changed a great deal over the years, and perhaps this is why British people have considered a holiday park abroad. Operators are now going the extra mile to provide more diverse offerings and to be more family friendly. Visitors can choose from lodges or chalets or stay at a campsite. Many camps offer tours, hiking, sporting activities and even entertainment. In the same way many Majorca hotels do. Some boast water parks and spas, ensuring that there is something for just about any taste and age. Even people who are looking to save money still expect quality. Camps today cater to even the most discerning visitor.

A surprise to many, the shift to camping is more popular in the over 30 age group than those holidaymakers who are under 30. This may be driven by older tourists having to pay not only for themselves, but their families as well. Also, the financial demands of older tourists are generally greater with mortgages, car loans and credit cards to pay.

An Emerging Trend

As surprising as this new holiday trend is, the other end of the spectrum may be just as unexpected. As increased numbers of older Brits head off to holiday camps, the under 30’s seem determined to keep the Majorca trend going. While there is an undeniable decline in overall visits to Majorca from the UK, visits by tourists in the younger group are on the rise. Good news for the future as many will return in later years.

Part of the appeal of a Majorca holiday for younger tourists has to do with many late night parties and numerous bars prevalent in some parts of the island such as Magaluf – easily avaoidable for those who want Majorca for the quiter towns and villages on the coast and inland.

The under 30 holidaymaker is often single, maybe living at home, and on a decent enough salary to be able to take a week or two’s package holiday which icludes the flights, hotel and breakfast (though many don’t surface until mid to late afternoon after the night before).

Battling the Recession

Marketing efforts have been made by the Majorca tourist authorities to promote holidays during traditionally slower months, and for those who consider a campsite or holiday park too ‘hi-de-hi’ but still need to cut down their annual expenses for Majorca holidays, a trip in June instead of August can save a fair bit of money.

More details about Majorca including 2010 holiday deals can be found at yourmajorca.net

Cap Formentor Majorca

A UK regional newspaper recently ran a series of articles about Majorca. Here’s an extract:

Mallorca (normally called Majorca in the UK) is the biggest of the Spanish Balearic Islands, the other main islands are Ibiza, Menorca, Formentera and Cabrera. Mallorca itself is often likened to a continent rather than a small island, due to is rich and diverse landscape, which varies from the alpine like mountains of the Serra Tramuntana and the Serra de Levant to the flat fertile plains of central Mallorca. The island is also rich in flora and fauna and its natural parks such as the wetlands of S’Albufera in northern Mallorca, provide important protection for hundreds of bird and animal species.

To read the full article at The Leader click here

For more details about Majorca holidays with various tour operators including Thomas Cook Holidays visit yourmajorca.net