ibiza blog

Are you one of many people who work out how much you’re going to need for a holiday, think you’ve got everything covered - and then halfway through your trip realised your financial planning was out?

You’re not alone.

Many people have found the amount of money they thought they would need for a trip overseas hasn’t been enough. And with airlines and holiday companies adding extra on to a lot of items that used to come as standard it’s not a problem that’s going to go away.

In their defence it’s not surprising that airlines and holiday companies do this - the recession has hit the travel industry hard, and they need to increase the amount of revenue per passenger they are carrying on the airlines, and hotels for each guest they accommodate.

But putting the full price on advertised rates could affect their business, as it’s the headline price that catches many people’s attention - and with travel portals searching for the lowest price more popular than ever travel companies have to get around the low prices offered by making money elsewhere.

As an example we looked for a holiday to Ibiza for next summer, June 2011, to see what the holiday companies were offering, based on 2 adults with a reasonable hotel for 7 nights and Ibiza flights included.

Thomson Holidays, one of the UK’s leading tour operators, have available return flights and a choice of two different Ibiza hotels for 320 a person, and they also include getting to and from the airport to either of the Ibiza hotels.

Their main competitor, Thomas Cook, are doing even better with flights, hotel and breakfast from 285 a person for 7 nights. Their main competitor, Thomas Cook, are doing even better with flights, hotel and breakfast from 285 a person for 7 nights.

Great deals from Britain’s two leading holiday companies - but extras available include choosing a seat on the flight, a meal and travel insurance. The first two can be missed for the budget conscious, but travel insurance should never be cut out and can be taken either with the holiday company when booking, or independently.

In some ways the hidden costs that only become apparent when booking a trip, in the above example Ibiza holidays, aren’t surprising given that the cost is often the first feature considered, and many holidaymakers expecting to have 5 star flights, hotels and holidays at 2 star prices - the most reliable companies have to compete at the headline prices offered by others.

Away from the booking itself, once people are on their Ibiza holidays or elsewhere, the cost of mobile phone calls are the biggest cause of complaint, despite the EU having ordered charges to come down in recent years.

Other charges that holidaymakers deemed to be excessive included the cost of a taxi - most commonly used to get from the airport to the Ibiza hotels where most people would be staying.

To keep costs down it’s possible to book a taxi online with an agreed price and a driver waiting for you rather than taking pot luck upon arrival. Keeping luggage weights within the airlines allowance will ensure no surcharges, and some airlines offer half price luggage costs when it’s booked online instead of doing it at the airport.

For more details about 2011 Ibiza holidays with news and articles visit youribiza.net

Tenerife has topped Cosmos Holidays sales chart with a 60% increase year-on-year, report traveldailyco.uk

Majorca, last year’s number one, is now fourth in the sales list with Florida and Turkey before it.

Other Canary Islands have seen bigger rises in sales, particularly Fuerteventura (250%), Gran Canaria (100%) and Lanzarote (40%).

Menorca

The Algarve, Menorca, Shaem el Sheikh, Zakynthos and Mexico are also within the top ten.

“Whilst early booking trends indicated that this summer was all about the Eastern Mediterranean, the improved strength of the Pound against the Euro has resulted in a last minute surge of bookings to destinations throughout the Western Mediterranean and the Canary Islands,” said Monarch Travel Group Tour Operations Managing Director Hugh Morgan.

“After the challenges of the past 12 months, confidence has clearly been restored in the market and it’s great to see holiday durations lengthening from last year’s seven and 10 night durations to the traditional 14 night breaks.”

For the latest Menorca weather visit yourmenorca.net

The destinations UK holidaymakers choose could be changing more in the coming years ahead, according to one of Britain’s big travel agencies, who say:

Mediterranean resorts will no longer be the number one destination for UK holidaymakers by the end of this year.

New research by The Co-operative Travel has revealed that once popular resorts in the Western Mediterranean, such as the Costa del Sol and Algarve, are being shunned in favour of holidays in up-and-coming holiday spots.

The new number one area has been nicknamed ‘the Mett’ after its key destinations: Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey.

This year Mediterranean resorts have seen a cumulative fall in bookings of 11.6% compared to the Mett’s increase of 23.4%. If these current trends continue then the two areas will swap places by the end of 2011, with the Mett becoming the number one choice for package holidays.

This would mean that by summer 2012, the Mett would be receiving over 38% of UK package holidaymakers.

Trevor Davis, director of retail distribution at The Co-operative Travel said: “The growth of all-inclusive deals, which appeal to people wanting to fix the total cost of their holiday, has helped to increase demand for these fast-growing destinations.

“At the same time increased capacity and the high cost of the Euro have both contributed to a significant rise in bookings.”  For the full article at Yahoo! click here

For Menorca holidays visit yourmenorca.net and for Ibiza holidays visit youribiza.net

He added: “If these trends continue, it will represent the biggest change in bookings patterns since the boom of the package holiday in the 1970s.”

Majorca

As reputations go, Majorca has a real mix of attitude from people who might be considering a holiday on the well known Spanish island that has proved so popular with tourists in the past.

On the one hand there is the image of Magaluf to consider. It’s a town that attracts some but is a definite turn off for others.

And for tourists who prefer peace and quiet to a walk on the wild side, Magaluf is set to become even more of a party magnet as ‘Mallorca Rocks’  has opened - sister hotel to the successful ‘Ibiza Rocks’ just across the water.

Fantastic for the young, and young at heart who can discover Majorca as well as Ibiza. For those who like their clubbing and nightlife Mallorca Rocks will be the centre of a Majorca holiday for many of them.

And the Majorca hotels could benefit as stag weekends and hen parties view Majorca as an alternative to Ibiza, bringing in good revenue year round from young Europeans with disposable incomes.

Flights are inexpensive to the island, and with airlines operating from many regional airports from the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe, for students and other young people the cheap flights could see visitor numbers in this age group rise considerably this summer.

Majorca Holidays

But for couples and families who don’t want 24 hour partying, and are looking for a good relaxing sunshine holiday, is Majorca a good destination for them this year?

The answer is a definite yes, there’s another side to the island that’s ideal, and if they choose the right location it would be hard to imagine they’re on the same island as party loving Magaluf - but they would still get the good deal for their Majorca flights.

When looking at a map, on the north-west side of the island is Soller. And it is here that holidaymakers can escape to another world, and it’s quiet enough to enjoy while having a good amount of activities going on, to be enjoyed year round.

A tram connects the port to the town, and Deia - another village ideal for family holidays - is closeby, and there is a train that runs through the wonderful Majorca countryside to the capital Palma - a great day out enjoyed by many staying in Soller either in one of the hotels or Majorca villa holidays.

The port is a wonderful place to while away a few hours, with yachts calling in from all over Europe. The harbour area has a good amount of restaurants and cafes serving a variety of food including local dishes all day, and there are also apartments to rent with sea views here for holidaymakers.

For a good family holiday this summer, Soller could be the answer for a quality trip.

For a profile of Majorca including travel information visit yourmajorca.net

Eyjafjallajokull

With the banking crises and subsequent recession in Europe and the U.S. over its worst (hopefully) this year had all the signs of being a good one for the Menorca holidays industry.

Tourist arrivals to the island has been down in the last couple of years, in common with most Mediterranean islands, as a direct result of the bank failures and subsequent recession that hit consumer spending on things like overseas holidays hard.

But a turnaround was definitely on the cards with good early bookings, and a sense of optimism was in the air among the hotel owners and flight operators.

But then came along Eyjafjallajokull - or as it’s become better known in Europe and the wider world, the Iceland volcano - which after erupting continuously for over a month caused an ash cloud that grounded planes, left holidaymakers stranded, and caused a lot of people to reconsider their Menorca holidays for this year.

The direct consequence has been that instead of booking a few months ahead many tourists have held off and are booking their Menorca holidays much closer to their intended arrival dates - leaving some tour operators and villa holiday companies with excess accommodation and reducing prices.

And airlines lost out big time as those based in the EU had to pay for accommodation for those passengers they couldn’t fly home, even though insurers often got away with paying out. The airlines industry feel that as the governments stopped them flying, they should now pay their bills without some will run at a loss this year.

It’s not just Menorca that has been affected by the volcano among the Mediterranean islands where tourism forms an important part of the local economy, and is reliant on flights to bring the tourists in to their hotels and for their villa holidays for a week or two.

Malta for example saw a sharp decline in visitors in April and May, and local media have reported that the national flag carrier Air Malta could have lost over 3 million Euros in April alone as their planes were effectively grounded and flights to their important UK market halted altogether for some time.

Unlike Malta, Menorca doesn’t have an airline to speak of that it can call her own, but Mahon Airport is well served with both low cost airlines and tour operators from both the UK and Germany have regular flights to Menorca at various times of the day, with scheduled flights available out of the holidays season.

But there is some good news around, despite the awful start to the year. While there were plenty of Menorca villa holidays available for June and July to be booked when looking for availability in early May, a month later a lot of them had gone by early June, showing that potential visitors were gaining confidence as the volcano quietened down.

And the price cuts that were showing are now back to something like their normal level. But for those thinking of taking a villa holiday in September when the weather is still normally good, there are some available for under UK 700 - it’s quiter then with the schools back and if Menorca villa holidays are something to be considered it could be worth investigating further and booking ahead to get a good deal.

More details about Menorca, including a forecast and today’s Menorca weather are at yourmenorca.net and for independent comments visit social media like jumptags

The summer holidays are nearly here, and people are set to head off for their favourite or sometimes new destinations.

What should people expect of Menorca who haven’t been before?

Smaller than Majorca, and definitely quiter than Ibiza, of all the Balearic islands Menorca is best known for family holidays.

Menorca is well known for her quiet fishing villages and resorts, and is geared more towards holidaymakers seeking relaxation as opposed to hard partying. The island also has a variety of attractions and sights to keep any visitor engaged.

Part of Menorca’s appeal rests on the fact that overdevelopment has been strenuously resisted. Its numerous green spaces make it a refuge for tourists who like to enjoy nature’s unspoilt beauty. The towns of Mahon - the capital - and Ciutadella offer numerous sight seeing opportunities.

Menorca holidays offer a wide array of outdoor activities including horse riding, cycling and golf. Due to the good weather, quite a few tourists play golf. Club Son Parc is a large resort featuring an eighteen hole golf course. This family-friendly resort is home to the only golf course on the island with a practice range and instructors for new golfers.

Some of the best known holiday areas are:

S’Algar - a small resort located on the southeast coast of Menorca, a short distance from Mahon and Sant Lluis. This is a ‘purpose-built’ resort, and it is very well cared for and offers a good selection of accommodation, including two of the largest Menorca hotels, several apartment buildingss and some privately owned villas. You’ll also find a fair number of bars and restaurants along with a variety of shops. If you want to be active during your Menorca holiday and not just lounge around, S’Algar has a host of sports facilities for you to enjoy. There is no beach here, however. You’ll have to travel to Cala Alcaufar, about a 15 minute walk.

Punta Prima boasts several hotels, apartments and villas to rent and a good selection of bars and restaurants for the convenience of its visitors. Unlike some of the other resorts in Menorca, Punta Prima also has two supermarkets and car rental facilities. If you are looking for a beach, you’ll find a beautiful one at Punta Prima, but be wary of the currents - they can be very strong at times. Take note of the warning flags that will alert you to the safety conditions of the water.

Binibeca Village is a beautiful, quiet resort consisting of Cala Torret in the east and Binebeca Vell to the west. The village consists of all low-rise apartments and villas and offers no high rise accommodation, and is popular for Menorca villa holidays. The area around Binibeca has a variety of high-quality bars, restaurants and convenience stores.

Son Bou is home to the largest and, for many visitors, the best beach on Menorca, accessible via a tunnel down the road from Alaior. This resort has two hotels at the eastern end. For the more bashful holidaymaker, note that the further west you go on this beach, the more scantily dressed the beach-goers are. It is perhaps not a good choice for a family holiday, but an ideal spot for couples or a group of friends.

Cala en Porter is one of Menorca’s oldest resorts, sitting high atop cliffs that overlook a picturesque and safe beach. This resort is situated on the eastern side of a deep gorge that opens onto the beach and features a small stream running alongside during most of the year. This resort features just about everything you could want for fun family Menorca holidays. A full range of shops, restaurants and bars are conveniently located in the centre of the resort. Be sure to check out the cova d’en Xoroi, which are caves set into the cliffs, now made into a nightclub, but open to visitors for the caves during the day.

The holiday resort of Arenal d’en Castell sits on the rustic northern coast of Menorca, about twelve miles north-west of the country’s capital city, Mahon and the international airport. Although the distance from the airport to the resort is short, the roads along this route are not particularly good, so the journey can take up to about 40 minutes. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy the scenery!

Cala’n Bosch is located a short, 15 minute drive from the former capital city of Ciutadella, and  is home to one of the two five-star hotels in Menorca.

More information about the island including the weather in Menorca is available at http://www.yourmenorca.net where they also have a map and travel information.

Calan Porter is a popular village on the island for holidaymakers travelling as a family, and the Daily Mail recently ran a travel report about the resort, commenting:

What does the savvy modern traveller do faced with a lastminute package deal to Minorca? They check holiday review sites on the internet, of course.

The Siestamar Apartments, near a sandy beach in Cala’n Porter, are an ideal destination for families, according to Thomson Travel. ‘Great food, great everything,’

Our twobedroom apartment at Siestamar II was perfectly adequate and clean (although why there was a massive print of Boy George on the wall is anyone’s guess).

It backed on to the main pool and stage area. This was where ‘adult activities’ - i.e. bingo and the quiz - ran each night and where the outdoor disco began at 10pm.

But the beach is everything Thomson Holidays says it is. Leave the complex, cross the road and it’s 182 steps down to a beautiful cove.

Self-catering is the best option: the onsite food is of the egg-and-chip variety but there are two supermarkets opposite the complex and local restaurants aplenty.

While we didn’t intend to hire a car –Thomson in the UK had offered us a two-day ‘deal’ for £118 - bad weather drove us to it. We got a car for three days for €70.So don’t book a car until you get there.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1244499/A-package-holiday-Minorcas-Calan-Porter-minute-success.html#ixzz0hyC2iO74

For more details of Menorca holidays visit http://www.yourmenorca.net and follow people on holiday there now via twitter

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

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