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The Balearics will go stepping out in London next month as part of the Spanish travel fair. At last year's event Ibiza topped the bill, but this year the Balearics is expected to have an important presence and the spotlight of the British tourist industry and the media will firmly be on the Balearics as the travel fair will be held on the eve of the tourist tax coming into force. The two-day event will be taking place on April 29 and 30 and will be opened by Spain's Secretary General for Tourism, Juan Jose Guemes. STEPS 2002 is a unique trade fair which is growing in stature, despite the trade fair having been launched only last year. The event is a purely Spanish affair, a showpiece for the Spanish travel industry in London. Over 200 exhibitors offering an enormous range of products and services from across Spain will be participating in the fair and the event also provides a platform for British and Spanish travel industry bosses and ministers to meet. 40 per cent of all package holidays sold in the United Kingdom are to Spanish destinations. This year, Spain's Secretary General for Tourism wants to divert the British industry's attention off the traditional sun and sea holidays and use the fair to promote Spain as a city break destination and the country's growing short break market. Culture and eco tourism will also be on the agenda. The Balearics will be sending its agro tourism experts while Spain is also looking to increase its share of the golf market. While tourism heavy weights from across Spain will be present in London, Balearic Minister for Tourism, Celesti Alomar, has yet to confirm his presence, however the British media has been expecting to meet him to discuss the tax etc. earlier this year - but were disappointed and STEPS could provide the perfect opportunity for the two parties to meet. With the latest set of airport figures indicating that the British market is starting to pick up and that British tourists to Majorca are as loyal as ever, Alomar may want to meet Majorca's only rock-solid market.