British tour operators are confused and are trying to figure out the reason for the slump in the Balearic package holiday market this summer.
Palma.—The package holiday markets figures for the last week in August showed that overall for the summer, UK packager holiday sales were up two percent compared to last year , not changed at all compared to the previous week.
But, Majorca was continuing to under perform down three percent year-on-year and the Balearics in general, down two percent.
Business on the week compared with last year was overall up four percent but, again Majorca under performed up just two percent, Ibiza down 12 percent and Minorca on par.
“So l do not see any major change in the rather dull trend that we have experienced all summer for the islands,” Hugh Morgan, Chairman of The Monarch Travel Group told the Bulletin.
But, figures for July, for example, showed that the number of British holiday makers coming to the Balearics was up by 40,000, year-on-year and the Germans were down 100,000.
So, if the British package holiday market is under performing, it can only be assumed that the residential holiday market is booming with people opting for self catering holiday lets or a revival in the independent travel market.
And, the latest figures for September and October, do not indicate a late last minute boost in the package holiday.