Holidays in Spain
Holidays in Spain have been popular since the advent of jet travel made overseas holidays possible for the masses, and turned small villages like Torremolinos on the Costa del Sol into the concrete jungle it is today – the worst excesses of tourism are over now thankfully, and the Spanish authorities have strict controls on what can and can’t be built in popular holiday resorts along the Spanish coasts.
Tenerife is a prime example of how tourism has changed a holiday destination. From the 1960′s onwards Tenerife became a popular destination with winter holidays becoming much more in vogue due to the island’s all year round good climate, allowing Tenerife’s tourist industry to prosper with year round tourism compared to some areas that have a six month season. New hotels and housing developments were built without much thought for the environment, but now Tenerife has introduced planning rules that will protect her from future excesses. The island was once a premier holiday hot spot amongst the elite, but a lack of investment caused it to fade off the holiday destination map. Tenerife is making a comeback as the place to be when you want the perfect holiday.
Another Spanish holiday island that is doing well despite talk of a recession is Majorca – popular with European holidaymakers for over 50 years now, and still attracting new and returning tourists who might have been able to get a cheaper destination from their travel agency. Also known as Mallorca, the island really started to develop as a tourist hot spot as far back as the 1920s. Today, Mallorca sees more than six million visitors each year, yet ninety-five percent of vacationers concentrate in only five percent of its territory. Mallorca is known as the Mediterranean Lady and it offers a little something for everyone.
Many people actually prefer the slower paced winter holidays to the hustle and bustle of the busy summer holiday season. Temperatures in the winter season range from 6 degrees Celsius to 19 degrees Celsius. These mild temperatures help make Mallorca the perfect wintertime destination for those who enjoy cooler temperatures and mild winter weather – after all not everyone wants to spend their holidays just sunbathing, though plenty do!
Water sports and golf are very popular in Majorca, and Majorca golf holidays in themselves are a niche travel market. Some local businesses offer dive or boat tours and diving lessons for those who prefer the Mediterranean to dry land. Some species of tropical fish and marine life exist only in this temperate climate. Crystal clear waters offer a great viewing distance. Local businesses also offer boat and water craft rentals for those who wish to explore the open sea on their own.
Mallorca has a very colourful history dating back to the Paleolithic period. It has been under Roman, Byzantine and Spanish rule, and outside of the peak summer months is an ideal time for those interested in culture, art and history to visit the island. Museums in various villages on Mallorca showcase a wide variety of artefacts from each period of the island’s history. The official spoken languages on Mallorca are Catalan and Spanish, but many Mallorcans are becoming fluent in English and German as well, knowing that the tourist industry plays a major part in the island’s economy.