euroweeklynews.com report on more gay tourists holidaying on the island this year:

More than half a million gay tourists are expected to visit Mallorca this year reports reservasgays.com. This could have a positive effect on the island’s economy as the average gay tourist spends up to fifty euros a day more than a heterosexual one, and their visits are not limited to the peak summer seasons.

Juan Manel Ordinas, co-owner of the Pegasus Hotel, does not think that the figures are correct, “It’s certain that the numbers of gay visitors are increasing, but I think the numbers have been inflated.”

Gay tourism has seen a growth in popularity in Mallorca, and subsequently the island has seen an increase in the amount of specialist Mallorca hotels and services.  However the owners of Kfé cafe in Gomila in Palma have not seen a higher demand this year from their clients.

“There is less business than in previous years” said Tito, one of the owners of the cafe, although he doesn’t know if this is due to tourism or the fact that to be gay has become more socially normal “The reason why people go to specialist gay bars is because it feels less aggressive and more protective of values, to be gay is more acceptable these days and for this reason they do not need to go to specialist bars and clubs so much, they can diversify more”, explained Tito.

‘Gay Friendly’ bars don’t always need the rainbow flag to identify them, it’s the individual gay person who decides where they are comfortable and it doesn’t matter to them if the premises have been labelled ‘Gay Friendly’ or not”.

Kristin Hansen, the creator of Mallorca Gay Map is adamant that Mallorca has enormous potential as a destination for gay tourists. “Mallorca has a great choice of hotels from basic to luxury standard, as well as being on the routes for many airlines”, however Mallorca is yet to match popular gay tourist destinations Sitges, Ibiza and Mykonos.

“The problem comes from the mentality of the local people. They are not prepared to see men or women walking hand in hand in the street or kissing. Many homosexuals in Mallorca are still ‘in the closet’ for fear of not being accepted”, he said. Kristin believes that “The future of gay tourism in Mallorca lies in leaving behind the segregation of gay from straight in order for everyone to mix and not just using the specialist hotels, bars and clubs”.

Juan Manel of the Pegasus Hotel was not so sure. “It’s clear that there are tourists of every sort, and some would prefer to go unnoticed in regular hotels, but others actually prefer a homosexual environment”. A report stated that the majority of gay tourists preferred to go to places which were sympathetic to their sexual orientation. “If someone belongs to this group, and there is a specialised service for them, it’s the normal thing to choose it”. Juan Manel did not think that specialising in gay tourism created a ghetto either, “It creates a comfortable atmosphere for the client, that’s all. Religious, political and social factors will always exist that will make gay people feel uncomfortable, and we are many years away from a society where everyone can feel equal in establishments which are not specialised”, concluded Juan Manel.

For a Majorca map visit yourmajorca.net

Good news for those considering a holiday in Majorca at the moment - leading tour operators Thomas Cook and Thomson have some great deals available - visit yourmajorca.net to access both of them plus First Choice.

As the Daily Express report:

HOLIDAY firms are set to slash the price of package deals by hundreds of pounds after a slump in bookings over the summer, experts said yesterday.

A focus on the World Cup and fears over travel disruption have left tour operators with leftover stock.

Discounts on brochure prices are expected to reach up to 70 per cent.

Even families hoping for a break before school starts in September could save as much as 50 per cent on a week in a European destination such as Tenerife.

TUI Travel, owner of Thomson Holidays and First Choice, yesterday revealed a two per cent drop in UK sales over the past three months, normally its busiest time of year.

And it announced the volcanic ash cloud disruption had hit its last-quarter profit by £105million.

Chief executive Peter Long added: “It remains difficult to predict how the later-booking pattern will change over the next 12 to 18 months in the light of the current economic environment.”

A spokeswoman for TUI confirmed there would be “great value deals” during autumn. Among its best was a week on the Greek island of Rhodes in October, starting at £189 per person.

Thomas Cook was also expected to record a drop in sales today.

Long-haul holiday firm Hayes and Jarvis said the downturn in summer sales would mean a “glut” of heavily discounted deals, bringing down the cost of travelling to exotic countries in the Far East to under £500.

Andorra Blog

The Pyrenees is probably not the first place you would look for good internet connections, but add to that requirement being able to live in a tax friendly environment and you might think you are asking a little too much.

Happily there is such a place - Andorra.

Situated between France and Spain in the Pyrenees, it’s an independent country with a population of 80,000, plus those who have taken residency to live in the Principality.

Best known to the general public for her skiing, the country became well known for it in the 1980’s and in recent years has improved her infrastructure to the extent that it now competes with French ski holidays on an even footing.

For those considering a tax haven such as traders who need high speed internet acess and for those where time is critical, it’s a good working environment with or without tax, and Andorra steps up to the mark for them.

For such a small country in the middle of a mountain range Andorra impresses by being the 11th in the world for broadband speed - beating the United Kingdom for example, and according to Ookla who carried out the research Andorra has 14.79Mbps.

Good news indeed for those who need high speed communications in a tax friendly country whether for business or for social media like facebook - but what else can it offer apart from the financial advantages and good communications?

It has an infrastructure that matches any Western European country, with a good road network that has easy access to both France and Spain. Some residents drive to the Spanish coast for the weekend while some own property elsewhere and for example frequently enjoy Majorca villa holidays with a journey time of around five hours door to door.

For people considering taking Andorra residency, medical facilities are important, and more good news is that the hospital is modern and well equipped, with surgeons contracted from Barcelona to deal with non-emergency teatment as well as local doctors.

For tourists, there’s a good choice of hotels, both in the capital la Vella and in the villages and towns. Some of the hotels are as good as you’ll find on Swiss ski holidays, and there’s a wide range of culinary experiences available, including Michelin Star restaurants. Soldeu is one of the best known areas for ski holidays and first class quality hotels equivalent to anywhere else include the Sport Hermitage.

And it’s not just those who take Andorra residency who benefit from low or no taxes. For tourists Andorra is great for shopping with some of the lowest prices in Europe. To the extent that people make the trip from Barcelona to pick up the bargains. They visit the hypermarkets in Sant Julia just across from the Spanish border or make their way to the capital where there are department stores.

It’s not long until the school summer holidays are here, and as the Sunday Mirror reports the holiday companies will be pushing up the price for a holiday to Majorca…

Tour operators are still slapping huge mark-ups on family breaks during the school summer holidays - despite promises to end the annual rip-off.

The hikes can add almost £1,000 to the cost of a holiday in the Med, a Sunday Mirror investigation reveals.

A week-long package to Majorca - with tour operator Thomson - soars by 62 per cent in price. A similar trip to the Spanish resort costs an extra 40 per cent with Cosmos, 27 per cent more with Thomas Cook Holidays and 22 per cent with Olympic Holidays.

Thomson’s seven-night stay at a three-star hotel in Puerto Pollensa costs £1,587 leaving from Gatwick on July 3. But three weeks later - once the schools have broken up - the price shoots up to £2,571.

Four years ago, travel bosses promised to offer better deals after ministers asked them to explain why prices rise so sharply outside term time.

Many operators insist the higher prices in the summer simply reflect supply and demand. They claim holidays outside school times are often sold at a loss because there are not enough bookings.

But holiday expert Rochelle Turner of consumer group Which? said: “We all know there’s a huge demand for holidays during school breaks but it’s families who suffer.

“We’re not sure how tour operators can justify such large increases on the same holiday for just a few weeks a year. Is it any wonder that more and more parents take children out of school during term time to avoid these excessive prices?” The Association of British Travel Agents defended the policy. A spokeswoman said: “Firms would obviously like to have a steady demand throughout the year but that doesn’t happen so they have to find ways of boosting business during quieter times with better deals.”

Schools can fine parents up to £100 for taking children away during term time. But there is fresh evidence that hard-up parents are ignoring the threat of fines to take their kids away during term time.

Almost half of families polled by price comparison website travelsuper market.com admitted taking term-time breaks to avoid the inflated prices.

The Department of Education said : “Ministers are clear that missing school for no good reason is totally unacceptable and we make no apology for cracking down on absence. Every single lesson counts, so by taking their children on holidays during term time parents can really disrupt their education.

“It’s down to individual heads whether they give parents permission to take their children out of school but we back them in taking a firm line on unauthorised absence.”

For information on this year’s Thomson Holidays holidays for Majorca visit yourmajorca.net

For those wanting Menorca visit yourmenorca.net

Good news for Majorca comes from Microsoft, who are planning a new ‘Centre of Innovation’ on the island.

Microsoft currently runs technology centres in over 20 locations worldwide. Microsoft technology Centres for Innovation have been launched in an effort to provide technological solutions and market expertise.

The company has centres devoted to specific areas such as law enforcement, financial services, real estate, business and other industry sectors. Microsoft refers to these centres as “collaborative environments” where experts come together with business managers to create and implement software systems.

Microsoft has already established a centre in Spain - Manresa, Catalonia in Spain’s northeast corner. This particular centre is dedicated to innovation in productivity.

The second centre will be located in Majorca’s capital Palma. This centre’s focus is on tourism industry technology solutions. It’s an important one not just for Majorca but for Spain since tourism makes up a significant portion of the Spanish Gross Domestic Product.

Majorca holidays are a popular choice for many Europeans.

Maria Garana, the company’s president for Spain, referred to this centre as “a worldwide reference for technological applications in the tourism sector.” Garana notes that the Majorca centre will provide tourism technological solutions for clients all over the world, not just in Spain. This seems fitting, considering that the country itself is a world leader in tourism promotion and generation.

The Centre for Health Innovation in Manresa is the company’s first in the world. Microsoft has always provided health care software technologies. However, the proposed new centre will be the first which will be devoted solely to health care software solutions.

Experts in both industry sectors had suggested possible locations for these centres to be built. Places like Alicante, Benidorm and Elche had been proposed.

No matter where the Centre for Health Innovation eventually ends up, it promises to be a busy one. The Centre will likely be used by clients from all over the world.

Doctors, universities, hospitals and other health care service providers within Spain are excited to anticipate this new resource developing in their own backyard. They will, undoubtedly, be some of the Centre’s most enthusiastic users.

Meanwhile, the newest Centre for Cloud Computing will join the ranks of a number of other such centres worldwide. The company is concurrently developing another Centre for Cloud Computing in Taiwan.

These centres will focus on pay-as-you-go cloud computing services, which can translate into substantial savings over traditional cloud computing models. No word has been issued so far on where the Centre for Cloud Computing will be established in Spain.

It may take a few years to see what the impact of these two new Microsoft centres will have on Spain’s economy. Officials from many of Spain’s industry sectors are excited, though, at what possibilities may open up once these to centres are fully established.

More information about Majorca is available at yourmajorca.net and includes the Majorca weather and a map of Majorca

Good news for those thinking of having a Majorca holiday this year - prices are lower than last year according to Euro weekly News, who say:

SPENDING the night in a Palma de Mallorca hotel is 12 per cent cheaper than at the same time last year, Trivago reports. Despite the drop, in February 2010 the average price for a hotel room in Palma stands at 107 euros a night, remaining the most expensive in Spain, beating Madrid 99 euros (third most expensive) and Barcelona hotels at 102 euros (second most expensive).

More notably was the 18 per cent drop in prices recorded in the northern Spain city of San Sebastian, where a hotel room will set you back 93 euros on average.

By comparison, in the lower end of the spectrum, the cheapest in Spain are Leon and Logroño (62 euros), Santiago (66 euros) and Murcia (67 euros).

Nevertheless, the average price for a room in Spain increased by four per cent, now at 84 euros a night on average. When compared to other European countries, Spain remains among the cheapest along with Portugal (76) euros and eastern European destinations like Hungary (67 euros) and Poland (64 euros).

The most expensive hotel stay in Europe is Switzerland, with an average room price of 163 euros. For more European news click through to Euro weekly News here

For Majorca hotels visit http://www.yourmajorca.net

The Daily Telegraph report that holiday prices are being cut for this summer, and there’s some good bargains around, including from the UK’s top travel companies Thomson and Thomas Cook Holidays.

The Telegraph comment:

The price war has been kicked off by travel giant Thomas Cook and the UK’s biggest chain of independent agents, The Co-operative Travel.

Celebrity couple Jamie and Louise Redknapp will star in adverts re-introducing the slogan ‘Don’t just book it, Thomas Cook it’ from today/Sat featuring special deals.

This includes a fortnight’s holiday for the price of an 11-day break, which the company claim is the equivalent of a 20 per cent discount.

Other offers include a number of free child places and free meals for kids in resorts, special packages for single parent families and others.

The Co-op, meanwhile, will today/Sat launch its own offers for next summer including straight 20 per cent discounts, free child places and deposits of just £50 to give people time to pay.

Rivals such as Thomson Holidays along with the individual airlines are expected to join in the price war in the hope of turning around 2009 figures.

Although the annual total is not known yet, it is estimated that the number of Britons going abroad for leisure - as opposed to business travel - fell around 14 per cent this year.

Travel companies had planned for some of this loss by cutting capacity and room availability particulary after weathermen had, wrongly, predicted a ‘barbecue summer’ in the UK.

Now they are hoping Britons who have weathered the worst of the recession as well as suffering miserable weather at home will book early to travel next summer.

The Co-op say early bookings so far this month are up 26 per cent on the same period last year.

To read the full article click here

For a Majorca weather forecast visit http://www.yourmajorca.net

Alcudia Pollensa

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