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By Humphrey Carter

PALMA
THE Balearic Minister for Tourism, Francesc Buils, claimed yesterday that coming to the Balearics on holiday has become an “inbred” custom in Britain.
Buils said that over the past month, since holding talks with Triton bosses during their annual convention of independent British travel agents in Palma, he has also consulted the UK's leading tour operators and that he is “moderately optimistic” that the British holiday market will perform well this summer. Buils said that Britons are certainly changing their booking and travel habits but claimed that, when it comes to booking, many automatically choose the Balearics. “Britain considers the Balearics to be safe and close,” he said.
The Minister does not believe that the European credit crunch will have a negative affect on Balearic holiday sales this summer but has urged the local travel industry to take nothing for granted with Britons especially, booking their trips much later this year.

Buils urged all sectors of the industry to continue working hard to improve quality and services. Yesterday, the Majorcan Chamber of Commerce announced that it is teaming up with other regional nautical industries to combat the stiff competition coming from the nautical tourism industries in the Caribbean, Turkey and Croatia.