As the number of tourists have dropped over the last three years, the holiday business on the Spanish island of Menorca decided that enough was enough and it was time to get people back, recession or no recession - but rather than do what they had done in the past decided upon a more drastic measure - direct marketing.
Their decision looks as though it was the right one as the number of tourists flying in this summer could well exceed last year's, despite less people taking overseas trips generally.
It's welcome news for local businesses such as independently run hotels, bars and restaurants, along with other tourist related businesses such as beachside amusements, horse riding and jeep safaris who survive on the visitors deciding to holiday on the island between Easter and mid October.
No matter what the rise in tourists arrivals is for summer 2011, those local businesses which were established because of tourism have a fresh challenge from next year as one of Britain's main holiday firms - First Choice - will be offering just packaged holidays to its customers.
With the economic outlook still delicately balanced, packaged holidays allow people to consider a vacation overseas confident that the final bill will be within budget. For the island a holiday firm will include Menorca flights, hotel accommodation, and a choice of how many meals a day are included - all inclusive will include not just breakfast and lunch but also an evening meal, in addition often locally produced alcoholic and soft drinks are included as well.
However this isn't the kind of news that local businesses will be welcoming - on the one hand it's a great way for many families to budget for a holiday, but on the other many families will be tempted to stay within their hotel confines, knowing that once they have left the hotel grounds that they will be paying for something they could otherwise have had for free as it was part of the package they had paid and budgeted for.
The visitors who are going to spend the most money if more people take package holidays are those who are on Menorca villa holidays, buying their everyday items in the local supermarkets, dining out at restaurants, taking day trips organised by local sightseeing operators, and as a section of the tourism industry putting money in to the island's economy and keeping Menorca an invigorating place to vacation, with far more to enjoy than all inclusive food and drinks and a swimming pool and children's activities in-house.
The direct marketing in the form of a roadshow took place in Britain in February and March, an excellent time of year to promote vacations in the sun and particularly Menorca as it came during one of the country's most bitter winters in living memory.
Moving across different regions in a specially designed bus, the roadshow was called 'Menorca - Warm at Heart' ' and included stops in the capital London, moving to Scotland to take in Glasgow, and then active in Leeds, Newcastle, Bristol and Manchester.
As well as featuring what the island has to offer there was a daily prize of a free trip to Menorca for two people to entice potential tourists into having a look, along with the ability for those who were convinced to take bookings for flights, hotels and holidays on the island between Easter and the early weeks of October special deals available.
The decision to try some direct marketing was a brave one from the Menorca tourism office and took imagination, coordination and a determination to showcase to the British public just what a holiday in Menorca can offer, and with advertising budgets tight the island will be hoping that the different approach has worked, and urged those who have been before to visit again, and for new holidaymakers who haven't to shortlist Menorca for this summer's trip.
Article Source : http://EzineArticles.com/Michael_Johnson
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