Balearics news. March 31
Balearics news selection from the last seven days and upcoming items including tourist spending, property value increases, gas for Ibiza, a new disabled centre and a pup named Bocco. Published on Tuesdays.
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Balearics news
Foreign tourist spending on the up
During January and February 2015, foreign visitors to the Balearic Islands spent €214 million euros, 13.4% more than in the same period last year, the second highest increase in Spain, beaten only by Andalusia with 18.9%.
The average daily expenditure of foreign tourists to the archipelago was €95, 8.4% more than last year, according to the Tourist Expenditure Survey, announced by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism. In February, the total expenditure was €113 million, 21.2% more than in the same month in 2014.
Foreign visitors to Spain spent a record €6,567 million in the first two months of the year, which represents an increase of 8% over the same period of 2014. February was €3.165 million, 6.4%, and surpassed the record of this month marked the previous year.
British tourists accounted for 16.9% of the total expenditure made by international tourists in February, with a contribution of €1,109 million euros, 10.6% higher than last year, while the largest amounts came from between the Italian and French markets, 40.2% (298 million) and 18.6% (641 million) respectively.
Both France and Italy and the UK were recorded significant progress in average spending per tourist, with increases of 16.2% (€631 euros), 16.4% (€746) and 7.7% (€909).
Among the major visitor sectors to Spain, only the Nordic countries launched a negative result of 9.8%, despite being the third largest market, with a cost of €846 million, 12.9% of the total.
This decrease is due to declines in both arrivals and their spending per person, with a decline of 3.9% to 1,198 euros, and in the newspaper, 5.1% to 121 euros.
All regions show a positive trend, with Andalusia, Madrid and Islands marking an accelerated pace of spending growth, with annual increases of 18.9%, 13% and 13.4%, respectively.
Mallorca news
Bocco needs a home
Bocco, a one year old male dog is available for adoption. Although a little shy at first, medium sized Bocco soon becomes loving and confident.
He walks well on a lead , goes to the loo when told, doesn’t tear the place apart when left alone and is very obedient.
Bocco was found after being abandoned and is now seeking a new forever home.
His potential new owners are encouraged to take him for a short trial before making a decision. He has all the relevant vaccinations and has been chipped.
- For further information contact Huellas Mallorca. Monica on 687 66 20 00
- Susana on 638 86 86
- Maria Jose on 607 34 34 33
- Email: huellasmallorca@gmail.com
For details of more dogs, and of course cats, on the island of Mallorca, that are seeking homes, visit the website at Perros Gatos Mallorca
Mallorca top in Spain for Easter week
Mallorca is the most popular destination in Spain during Easter week according to the travel agency Hotel Beds.
The island has come in ahead of the usual favourites Barcelona, Tenerife, Madrid and Benidorm. Reservations on the island have increased by 27 percent compared to the previous year.
The countries sending the most visitors, according to Hotel Beds are Britain followed by Germany and Spain.
Airport authority Aena announced that between Friday March 27, and Monday April 6, approximately 750,000 passengers. Most travelers are expected on Sunday March 29 (82,369), Easter Saturday (83,852) and Easter Sunday (89,138)
Mallorca property on the rise
With property sales already up 29.2% in 2014 over the previous year, and foreigner buyers accounting for 11% of the total, the Balearics are enjoying a purple patch.
However with new legislation to relax the requirements for a ‘Golden Visa’ and dramatic interest and exchange rate trends, 2015 is set to go down in history. Read more…
Ibiza news
Gas for Ibiza
135,000 residents of Ibiza are soon to get natural gas after a deal was agreed with Redexis.
The project comes in at a budget of €42 million and will create approximately 60 kilometers of gas pipeline.
The organization presented its deployment plan on Monday March 31 in a ceremony attended by the president of Redexis Gas, Fernando Bergasa, among others.
As detailed in the presentation, Ibiza is a “strategic point” for the company, which has invested more then €200 million in the Balearic islands in the construction of pipelines and distribution networks.
The company expects the hotel zone of Ibiza to be covered by the 2016 season, when gas reaches Playa d’en Bossa and Figueretes. There the gas will reach 21,000 homes and more than 1,000 businesses. Bergasa explained that Redexis has already generated more than 50 jobs in distribution and network maintenance.
The company is already present in 11 municipalities of the Balearic Islands and has generated more than 500 jobs.
Menorca news
New disabled centre
What’s happening on the Balearic Islands? Click HERE to browse, or to add your own event
Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business – Spain Web Design by Gandy-Draper.
Born a “Norverner”, she then spent most of her life “Dann Saff” before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle’s loves are Alan, the internet, dogs, good food, and dry white wine – although not necessarily in that order.