OPERATORS and Spanish tourism officials are pleading with tourists
to return to the Balearic Islands amid fears that public and agent ignorance is
damaging the critical late-booking market.
A government-backed £380,000 campaign is under way to boost
sales after a survey revealed one in three holidaymakers do not know the
strikes which crippled airports earlier this month are over.
The ignorance is putting 100,000 late holidays in jeopardy –
worth £148 million to Spanish tourism – which operators expect to sell to the
Balearics in the coming weeks.
Letters have now been sent to every travel agent spelling
out that it is business as usual.
However, the campaign is in danger of being eclipsed by
terrorist activity on the mainland following the planting of a 100lb bomb at
Malaga Airport yesterday which disrupted flights, further damaging Spain’s
tourist industry.