If you work in tourism read on!

It may be all doom and gloom on the world stage but for the Balearics, as far as British tourism is concerned, things couldn't be better. A report compiled by the top market research company AC Nielsen for the Balearic government gives the hard pressed tourist industry a real boost. Bookings to resorts such as Alcudia/Muro have risen by a record 36 per cent compared to this time last year, Palma Nova reports a surge in sales of almost 66 per cent and Palma is back in favour with an almost 300 per cent increase. There is some bad news though. The market report was compiled during December and because of the escalating problems in the Gulf holiday sales are static at the moment. However, the underlining trend is once again that the Balearics can look forward to a bumper season again when it comes to the British market. The problems experienced last year with the German market look set to continue with German tour firms not able to give any forecasts. Last year the number of German tourists coming to the Balearics fell by almost one million. At the recent World Travel Market tourism fair in London, minister for tourism Celesti Alomar, praised the British for their loyalty. Last year for the first time in more than a decade British tourists outnumbered the Germans.