“There´s nothing wrong with Majorca´s British image:” ABTA

While the Balearics does have a problem with its image in Germany, “there's nothing wrong with the Balearic's image in Britain,” the head of public relations for the Association of British Travel Agents, Jackie Gibson said yesterday. Faced with figures showing a nine per cent drop in overall bookings to the Balearics last month, the Balearic government yesterday announced that it intends to launch a campaign to boost the region's image in Germany and the UK to try and stop the rot, but with regards to the British market - there is no need. As the Bulletin reported last month, package holiday bookings in the UK are slow at the moment and Gibson said yesterday that the large tour operators are very concerned. However she said that all summer destinations are affected and that the Balearics is suffering no more than any others. The British market to the Balearics is down by three per cent, but Gibson said that tour operators are confident, that once Britain starts booking, the Balearics will recover and that by the end of the year, package holiday bookings will in fact show an increase. Majorca's image is not taking the bashing it is in Germany. ABTA has heard of no repercussions to stories about the water crisis and Gibson said, that while “nobody wants more taxes on holidays,” it is far too early for the threat of the tourist tax to have an effect on the market. “Majorca's image is a strong one in the UK, it always had been and always will be,” she said. “It's image is a destination for young people and families, and more often than not, first the British go to Majorca as youngsters and then return in later years with the wife and family, so there is a very strong connection with the Balearics as a whole, either you have been there or you know someone who has.”