Mallorca is spreading its wings quite literally. The direct flight between New York and Palma opens up a wide range of opportunities which could change the face of Balearic tourism. The U.S. market is extremely lucrative and the new flight could be just the start. It will effectively mean that U.S. tourists can not only enjoy Mallorca, there are a wide range of other possibilities such as boarding a cruise in Palma or even a tour of Spain starting on the island.
It is a win, win, win situation for the islands. I know that the local authorities have been working long and hard to try and attract U.S. tourists for some time, and they have been quite successful, although only on a small scale.
There is interest in the Balearics in the U.S. Almost five percent of the people who read our website (www.majorcadailybulletin.es) are in the U.S. But the direct flight is a game-changer and it is something that the local authorities have been pushing for. Quite rightly the local authorities are going to spend a sizeable sum of money promoting the islands in the U.S.
There are some who will say that the arrival of new markets will end the reign of British and German tourism on the island. This year there was a big influx in the number of French tourists (the number of visitors actually trebled) and now the U.S. market will form part of the equation.
Perhaps Mallorca will soon become a global brand for tourism. Things are changing and the island needs to be ready.