As we approach the end of January, traditionally the month when most British people book their holidays, quite how many have done so for this year compared to last won’t be known for a while yet.

But with the economy in both the US and Europe in recession, holiday destinations are bracing themselves for a dismal summer, as many tourists decide to have a holiday in their own country - or skip holidays altogether for 2009.

Areas that traditionally see a high percentage of their visitors come from the UK could be particularly hard hit, as the British pound has sunk to a new low level against the Euro, and isn’t doing too well against the US dollar either.

Some early suggestions are that Cyprus might lose up to 20 per cent of her British tourists this year, and there are plenty of other holiday islands in Europe which will be watching Britain’s currency closely in the coming months, hoping that it will rise and holiday bookings to those areas with the Euro pick up.

But the Spanish holiday island of Majorca isn’t taking things lying down, and 2009 could see holidays in Majorca be more popular than any other area of Spain again, despite her British visitors getting far less of the local currency than on previous visits to the island.

Majorca has an astonishing hundred years and more tourism experience, and has survived in that time two world wars, the Spanish Civil War, fascist dictatorship as well as town planners to emerge as a holiday island capable of catering for both the cheap getaway to the sun, but also the luxury holidays market in villages like Deia, and has responded well to for the increasing concern from many tourists for the environment.

                                                Majorca

Part of that change for the environment has been responding to what British and German visitors want, as well as cutting down on waste. Majorca has for example opened up quite a few miles of cycle tracks, and local businesses have responded with cycle hire shops dotted around the island.

Wonderful Cap Formentor in Majorca is just one delight awaiting holidaymakers for Majorca this year.

The challenge for Majorca this year is not how best to respond to global warming, or to offset holidaymakers co2 emissions from their flights to Majorca, but simply to get the tourists to visit at all. Majorca’s position as Europe’s number one holiday destination is under threat from Turkey, and further afield Egypt will be taking holidaymakers away too - neither Turkey or Egypt use the Euro for their currency, while Majorca does. The British pound has fallen dramatically against the Euro making holidays in Majorca more expensive for British tourists, while Egypt and Turkey with their own currencies work out better value for Brits abroad.

But Majorca has seen competitors before who have taken away market share from the holidays island, only to see her popularity return. Florida for example became very much in vogue for a while, but the weather in Majorca seemed to pull tourists back after a few years.

But while the Majorca weather can be relied on, what can beat the volatility of the currency markets to attract holidaymakers for 2009? The answer it seems is the return of the package holiday. Many in the travel industry had predicted the end of package holidays - where a holiday includes flights, hotel, breakfast and an evening meal (half board) or lunch too (half board) - due to the ability to book different components of a holiday online, but for British holidaymakers booking a package holiday with companies like Thomas Cook cuts the amount of spending money they need in Majorca dramatically - and makes a holiday in Majorca for 2009 possible after all.

Playa de Muro in Majorca, one of several beautiful beaches awaiting holidaymakers this summer.