The tourist trade in Spain’s Balearic Islands is on the verge of getting a helping hand from Air Canada.
The islands, a focal point of Spanish tourism, will see Air Canada begin linking Montreal with Mallorca on June 17, with the three-times-a-week service running to Oct. 24, and Miguel Rossello Jimenez, director of tourism for the islands, told a recent Mississauga gathering that he believes the route will serve his destination and travellers from this country alike well.
“This is great news. We are convinced that the Canadian traveller is a perfect match for our destination,” he told the gathering.
The islands amount to a “paradise,” he continued, citing several factors, including their natural side, and mild climate during the low and shoulder seasons that make them a year-round retreat.
The island of Mallorca was a pioneer in Spanish tourism and serves as a base for many prominent Spanish hotel chains, such as RIU, Barcelo, Iberostar and Melia.
Xisco Colom Canellas of Mallorca’s tourism board, said his island is hugely popular, particularly during the summer, with large numbers of Europeans attracted by its hundreds of beaches.
But Colom Canellas said tourism authorities want it to be seen as a year-round destination, citing the likes of 23 golf courses. Visitors can swim in the ocean in April, he added. Cycling and sailing are among available activities.
Catalina Pons of the city of Palma de Mallorca’s tourist board in turn praised Palma de Mallorca as “one of the most attractive Mediterranean cities,” citing its historic side and numerous art galleries. “It’s very cultural. Palma is cosmopolitan, not just sun and beach.”
Leonardo Metastasio, tourism promotion manager for Formentera, said that island is suited for those wanting a quiet stay, with it only having one disco, which is closed most of the year.
Jazz music can be heard on the island, which actually has a May jazz festival, he added.
“We have parties. We have music, but it’s different,” he said, adding Formentera doesn’t have a raucous party scene.
“It’s a quiet vacation,” he said. “It’s a relaxing vacation.”
Metastasio said Formentera has nice beaches, with yoga being available on those beaches.
Juan Jofre Ensenat in turn said Menorca has been declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO and has over 1,000 archeological sites.
Menorca was named European Region of Gastronomy for 2022 by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism.
Jofre Ensenat said the smallish island has a relaxed lifestyle. “You have to slow down.”
Meanwhile, Isabel Martin of the Tourist Office of Spain, agreed that the Balearic Islands shouldn’t simply be seen as a beach retreat.
“The Balearic Islands are not just sun and beaches,” she said. “They have a lot of culture and nature.”
Martin is hoping the Air Canada Montreal-Mallorca route will become a year-round one, stating that the Balearic Islands are “not just a summer destination.”
