The New York Times has listed the island as one of the top places to visit in 2010, and comment:

While the beat of disco pounds in Ibiza and Majorca, their quiet sister Minorca offers a tranquil contrast to the glitz next door. The entire island is a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, so the Spanish megahotel development frenzy of the last decade has largely skipped over this patch of the Mediterranean. That means miles of beaches —some 120 of them, in fact, like the northern sweep of crystal-clear swimming waters in the coves called Cala d’Algaiarens, with fine sand and rolling dunes. And Minorca’s eco-diversity extends well beyond the coasts: forests, deep gorges, wetlands, salt marshes and hillsides covered in lush greenery that sometimes look more New England than Mediterranean. Even the island’s sun-bleached towns — Mahón and Ciutadella, each combining elements of their British colonial heritage, Moorish roots and modern Spanish identity — are more peaceful than their Majorcan equivalents.

The ideal visit to Minorca celebrates islanders’ emphasis on agritourism — sleeping in rural establishments like Ca Na Xini (www.canaxini.com), a dairy farm that offers an eight-room temple to modernism inside the shell of a century-old manor home. It’s like spring break for eco-conscious adults. — Sarah Wildman

For more information about Minorca including the latest weather visit http://www.yourmenorca.net/weather

The Daily Mail in the UK recently ran an interesting article about Menorca, their comments include:

Think of the Balearic islands as a family: Majorca and Ibiza are the two older sisters who party all night, while Menorca is the little sister who stays in doing her homework.

‘This has always been a quiet island,’ says Lindsay Mullen, who, with Sheelagh Ratliff, owns and runs the Biniarocca Hotel, a ten-minute drive from Mahon airport. Lindsay, an accomplished artist, and Sheelagh, a successful clothes designer, emigrated to Menorca in the Nineties.

Sheelagh was running a B&B when a working farm near St Lluis went up for sale ten years ago. They bought and thoroughly renovated it, and it is now a Relais Chateau-style hotel with 17 bedrooms, a pool set in bougainvillea and palm tree-filled gardens, and a stylish European restaurant. 

The Biniarocca’s comforts are bliss, and although it was tempting to stay glued to the grounds, the hotel is a good base from which to explore the island.

Scrupulously clean and well-signposted, Menorca is perfect for driving. A main road bisects the island, leading from the capital Mao to the second largest town, Ciutadella on the west, and roads branch off to the north and south, heading for the coastal coves and beaches.

The island’s biggest sandy beach, three kilometres long and 40m wide, is to the south at Son Bou.

To read the full article click here

For reviews of Menorca hotels  visit http://www.yourmenorca.net

Spain’s marketing agencies recently started to put more effort into targetting potential visitors from emerging markets, notably India and China. Often the term ‘emerging market’ is associated with other terms like manufacturing, balance of trade, production, imports and exports. Now we can add tourism as a term associated with emerging markets.

Not that tourism boards have neglected reaching out to potential new clients in the past. From Europe to the United States to South America and Asia, tourist industries were and are keen to attract bigger markets.

But for the first time, Spain has established a Spanish tourism office in Mumbai, India. The goal is to establish Spain as a tourist destination among Indian holidaymakers – and Menorca could benefit this year as first time holidaymakers arrive.

The opening of the Mumbai office follows on the heels of the merger between British Airways and Iberia Airlines. Part of the strategic plan is to establish Barajas Airport in Madrid as an international hub facility. This will enable more direct flights to Barajas from Europe.

More importantly for the immediate future, direct flights can be slotted in from India as well. It doesn’t take a great leap of imagination to conclude that the same strategy will be employed in regard to China down the road.

Spain has had to face setbacks in recent years. Like the rest of the world, the 9/11 attacks on New York City sent all travel into a tailspin. Not only did leisure travel suffer, but business travel did as well. As things gradually returned to some semblance of normality, Spain took another hit. Spain’s subway system was the target by terrorists on two occasions. Once again the effect was a slow down of tourist traffic.

But the Spanish government and its people are nothing if not resilient. With so much to offer in terms of culture, art, relaxation, natural beauty, shopping and cuisine, the tourist board is determined to make the entire country a holiday destination unique from the rest of Europe.

And why not? With hundreds of regional and national parks, tremendous mountain ranges, hundreds of miles of inviting beachfront, stunning architecture and a seemingly unending array of sports and cultural offerings, one would be hard pressed not to find an idyllic way to spend holidays.

Attracting an upscale clientele should be an easy sell for the Mumbai office. Menorca’s sister islands of Majorca and Ibiza have already become favourite stops for both the lesser known wealthy tourists and celebrities from all over the world. From fashion to nightlife, from penultimate accommodations to world class cuisine, Majorca and Ibiza with their combination of glitz and elegance are ‘go to’ places for the rich and famous.

And as the Balearics are visited, so Menorca will be considered as well for those with families, who prefer the peace and quiet the island offers, and enquiries will soon translate into people taking holidays in Menorca.

Add to that some of the other Spanish islands like Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, it really does emphasise how unique Spain is. Lanzarote with its sublime beaches and captivating surfing venues has much to offer, especially in the winter when people visit because of the good Lanzarote weather.

The Spanish tourism industry is going all out to secure a substantial share of the emerging market tourist trade. And while they are focusing in the short term on India and China, the world tourist board recently identified the top 10 emerging market countries that will undoubtedly be wooed as well. They include, in addition to India and China, Montenegro, Croatia, the Republic of Congo, Vietnam, Romania, Namibia, Hong Kong and Chad.

Clearly there is an enormous potential for tourism within these emerging markets. Certainly Spain is not alone in desiring to gain as much of this market as possible. As they unroll their three-year strategy, it is also clear that they are doing everything they can to highlight the uniqueness of their country. Don’t be surprised if you are going to Menorca this year to see a few more Indian and Chinese tourists on the island.

More details for Menorca are available with http://www.yourmenorca.net and comments with photographs for holidays in Menorca are often on social media such as myspace

An interesting article appeared recently in the Hellenic News Of America about the settlers from Menorca and other parts of the Mediterranean who started one of the first colonies in Florida. Here’s an extract:

The courageous Mediterranean people who left the shores of Minorca in the eighteenth century to “seek a newer world” in Florida, were the largest group of white people to form their own colony in America. They began their extraordinary odyssey in 1768; the ambitious goal was to serve as laborers in a British colonial enterprise designed to grow the indigo plant, then more precious than gold. After completing seven years of servitude, the new colonists were promised fifty acres of their own land.

The project was conceived by a Scottish physician, Dr. Andrew Turnbull. He wanted to grow the precious indigo plant in hot and humid Florida swampland and he felt people who lived in the Mediterranean were best suited to work in this type of climate… Dr. Turnbull went to Minorca where he gathered 1,255 Minorcans, Italians, Greeks, and Corsicans, placed them on eight ships and embarked on a three-month journey to the Musquetos area of Southeast Volusia County. Records show that a total of 148 perished at sea. When the remaining 1,107 arrived they discovered there were provisions for only half that number and, furthermore, most had to build their own shelters.

The AHEPA Chapter in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., has honored the courageous Greek pioneers who died populating and trying to grow this colony with a magnificent sculpture called “The Odyssey Monument.” Built in 2000 with funds raised by AHEPA, the monument was designed by the late Argyros Xepappas, an architect who had an international reputation.

To read the full article click here

For more details about Menorca and Menorca villa holidays and other accommodation including the hotels in Menorca visit yourmenorca.net

More Mediterranean island information for Majorca is at http://www.yourmajorca.net and includes the latest Majorca weather forecast

If you’re considering Menorca holidays for this summer and you fancy a day trip to Majorca, new passenger ferries are in service from Ciutadella to Alcudia.

The media recently ran a news story about how the Mediterranean diet can help beat depression - unlike some Mediterranean islands a lot of Menorca restaurants use locally sourced ingredients in their cooking and offer local dishes.

Here is an extract from one of the newspapers:

Eating a Mediterranean diet could help cut the risk of depression by a third.

Tucking into vegetables, fish, nuts and fruit may be the reason scientists found the risk of mental disorders in the Med to be lower than in Northern Europe.

They studied more than 10,000 Spaniards over six years and compared their diets and mental health.

To read the full article click here

For information about Menorca holidays and flights to Menorca visit yourmenorca.net

One of the Liverpool syndicate who won £45,000,000 on the Euromillions lottery recently is planning - among other things - to have a holiday in Menorca.

To read more click here

Here’s some news from Sarah Barford at Menorca a Cavall.

Menorca a Cavall welcomes those who are taking a Menorca holiday who would like to see the island on horseback - and what a fantastic way it is too, because not only do you get to see parts of Menorca you would otherwise miss, but it can often be one of the highlights of a holiday in Menorca.

If you’re booking a holiday to Menorca be sure to visit them for a fun few hours (they’re open all year round), and it doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced horserider or a complete novice as Menorca a Cavall look after all their visitors even if you’ve never ridden a horse before. Their internet site details are at the end of Sarah’s report.

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Winter Horse Riding at Menorca a Cavall

In spite of the ‘crisis’ year, we have had the busiest summer ever running horse riding excursions at Santa Rita. The beach excursions have proved to be a real winner this year; everyone loves the idea of riding a horse along the coast, be it strolling slowly along to enjoy the stunning scenery or galloping flat out across the sand. We can take 9 horses at a time in our horsebox to Binimela on the north coast, from there we ride either towards Pregonda beach or in the direction of Cavalleria, through a truly stunning bit of coastal scenery, it’s a really unforgettable trip!

The excursions around the finca are also been very popular, and with almost 500 acres to explore we can always find a suitable route for each group of riders. It’s my second summer running excursions for Tolo, the owner of Menorca a Cavall, and it’s been a real pleasure to introduce visitors to the island to a bit of the real Menorca which they would normally never see. We ride along part of the historic Cami d’en Kane and on trails through the  ‘holm oak’ woodland originally built to bring out the charcoal which used to be made in the forest. There are some fantastic all-round views of the island from the high points of the rides, all this combined with the unique atmosphere of a traditional working finca means there is plenty for everyone to enjoy at Santa Rita.

I always especially enjoy guiding competent riders,  they all love the sheer thrill of galloping through the fields or along the beach on a fit horse, many of them never get the chance to ride fast at home so it’s great to give them a chance to really ‘go for it’! By contrast we also have many ‘first-time’ riders like one lady in her 70’s who told me she had wanted to ride a horse all her life but could never pluck up the courage, we took her out for a leisurely amble on Zag, our oldest and quietest horse, and she loved it, what a privilege to be able to help someone fulfil their lifelong ambition!

Another of my memorable clients was a young lad with an American accent who had been brought along by his Mum, a keen rider. ‘This is definitely the worst day of my life’ he announced on being hoisted up onto Avelino, I count it as one of my great success stories that after an hour’s ride including his first trot he was asking Mum if he could take ‘classes’ back home, also could she please buy Avelino to take away with him! 

It was a real relief to see the first rain in September after such a hot summer, Santa Rita has now been transformed  back to a sea of green fields, the flowers of autumn have appeared and with them the butterflies and birds. We also have some new additions: a border collie pup named Alaska, her friend Bolet a little kitten, and plenty of new lambs.  If any of you want to come horse riding this is the best time of year.  Menorca a Cavall is open every day all year and we welcome anyone, whether you are an experienced rider, perhaps you used to ride years ago or you have never been on a horse but would like to give it a go.  I want to form a winter riding group of people of all abilities who would like to ride with me regularly at Santa Rita, to enjoy good company and riding out together on fit horses, also to explore some new routes along the Cami de Cavalls.

 Anyone interested in winter riding please phone me, Sarah, on 971 378 958 and I will be pleased to tell you more, I can get a discount for regular riders so it’s really good value! Full details of excursions and prices, and lots of photographs can be found on our web site www.menorcaacavall.com          

Are you visiting Menorca on holiday, and hoping to have some days out?

For some ideas on what is available on the island for your holidays in Menorca, along with contact details visit http://www.yourmenorca.net/attractions

Euroweekly reports that the Balearic Islands are to promote golf holidays, including those for Son Parc in Menorca - here is what they had to say:

IT has been reported that the Regional Ministry for Tourism is to spend 180,000 euros on promoting the Balearic Islands as a golfing holiday destination. This move is aimed at increasing the ranking of the islands as a quality all-year round holiday resort, offering facilities for sports, cultural and business tourism.

Miquel Nadal, the Balearic Island Minister for Tourism, has recently signed an agreement with the President of the Balearic Island Golf Course Association (ACGB), Jose Jimenez, on launching a campaign to give a high profile to Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza as being the ideal choice for golfing enthusiasts.

The ministry also took the opportunity to announce that 112,752 tourists came to the Balearic Islands, specifically to play golf, representing an increase of 1.8 per cent in comparison with figures from the previous year. It was also reported that this particular category of visitor stayed approximately 10 days and spent an average of 211 euros per day. According to Nadal, the total amount spent by golfing enthusiasts in the Balearic Islands last year was 183 million euros, an increase of 3.7 per cent compared to 2007.

To read the full article click here