The Balearic tourist industry of the east wind is blowing straight in the face. Holiday destinations such as Turkey and Egypt have begun as a competitor and flex their muscles. It also received the German tour operators felt. In recent weeks, woke up with the federal public posting pleasure. "There is a clear recovery trend, but who goes to the Eastern Mediterranean," said the CEO of TUI AG, Volker Boettcher on Wednesday at the start of the International Tourism Exchange ITB in Berlin. The world's biggest travel fair opens its doors until Sunday. Among the 11,127 exhibitors from 187 countries are like every year, the Balearic Islands in their ancestral hall 7.2b.
At the invitation of the Balearic Tourism Bureau Ibatur then gave the largest four German tour operator from its forecasts for 2010. But already announced that this year's season will be no easy business. Just in time for the opening of the ITB, the association had given the Balearic hotel chains announced that bookings from Germany compared to the previous year, ten percent are in deficit, even from England, at 15 percent. And this, although the hotels were forced to give in the negotiations with travel companies over the previous year price reductions of up to six percent. "The eastern Mediterranean is a strong competitor for Spain," said Boettcher. For the Balearic Islands, however, interpreted from different trends: while lying in Menorca significantly increase were the booking of Majorca and Ibiza, compared to 2009 "is currently in decline".
The TUI is currently negotiating with hoteliers to boost prices offered by additional short-term bookings. Boettcher said he was "not without optimism that this year's season would develop more positive.
Significantly more optimistic than the market leader TUI was the new number two in the German tourism market, Rewe Touristik. "We have a surprising news, because we will continue to grow," said Chief Soren Hartmann. In his words, are the bookings for the Balearic Islands' strong in the black ", at 20 percent over the previous year. This growth relates primarily to Mallorca. Thus the group started going the fruits of its restructuring two years ago one of the Balearic Islands. "With a good product and a good marketing strategy do you manage to change things." Rewe is also in negotiations with hoteliers in order to be able to offer all-inclusive offers. "This is the train on which the Balearic Islands have to jump up." The Thomas Cook AG, number three in Germany showed, with the company development "generally satisfied". The weekly prices are five percent below the previous year, in September 2010 tenders were even ten percent less than a year ago. Thomas Cook is planning for 2011, a big event, sporting up to 2000 participants, details were not disclosed. The trend to go "all-inclusive walkaround. This could not only feed the guests at the hotel, but also in a number of cooperating restaurants.
Alltours, Fourth Sector, sees the postings currently on three percent plus, goal for 2010 were five percent. The company appealed to the hoteliers, not lower the quality, even if they make the price cuts would have. Quality refers not only on the inside of the hotel, but also meant cleaner streets and beaches. The "benefit of the Balearic Islands are its good infrastructure, but the competition offers more destinations, all-inclusive and lower prices," said Ronny Alltoursmanager de Clercq.
In addition to its annual exhibition program at the ITB, the Balearic first delegation also developed a comprehensive political and cultural activity of unimaginable proportions to show in Germany, with politicians and business leaders flag. Francesc Antich, the Socialist Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Joana Barceló have yet had a meeting for Wednesday afternoon with Air Berlin CEO Joachim Hunold. No other airline operates so frequently between Mallorca and Germany as Air Berlin.
Following a meeting with the CEO of TUI AG, Michael Frenzel is scheduled. TUI is the largest tour operators in Europe and also in the Balearic Islands.
According to the schedule for Thursday is a meeting of Antich with the Foreign Secretary, Wolf Born, planned. On Friday, a breakfast with the CEO of Thomas Cook AG, Peter Fankhauser are scheduled. During the day Antich and Barceló meet the German Tourism Secretary Ernst Burgbacher, president of the Tourism Commission of the Bundestag, Klaus Brämig, and Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit.
In addition to the political program of the Balearic Islands show and cultural presence in Berlin. Thus, the Spanish Secretary of State is directed to tourism, the Majorcan Joan Mesquida, on Wednesday evening, a "Spanish Night" for the Berlin society. There, in the presence of the President of the Antich Majorcan hotel group Iberostar, Miquel Fluxá, honored for his services.
Even before Antich at the Instituto Cervantes (the Spanish equivalent of the German Goethe Institute), where the Mallorcan writer Carme Riera gives a speech. Antich on Thursday opened an exhibition of the Ramon Llull Institute.
Source: Majorca Daily Bulletin