FIRST LIGHT ON MENORCA

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AUTUMN 2013
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AUTUMN 2013
MENORCA’S TOURISM INDUSTRY
RIGHT ON TRACK
ENJOY MENORCA
OUT OF SEASON
Autumn is a very busy time for the island’s
tourism department and tourist office as
plans are put in place for the 2014 season. Promoting new initiatives such as the
‘Made in Menorca’ campaign and Menorca
Slow, while also responding and satisfying
the growing demand for Active Tourism and
developing new markets, has resulted in Menorca having a presence at more international exhibitions and conferences than ever
before.
As Menorca waved goodbye to the last charter holiday flight of the 2013 season at the
end of October, many people would be excused from thinking that that’s it, Menorca
is now closed until next April or early May.
But you could be in for a surprise. While it’s
true that the resorts around the island shut
down during the winter months, the rest of
Menorca is a different story. Local life resumes at its gentle pace; children go back to
school, friends meet and greet in the streets
after the long, hot summer months, the
markets are bustling and work begins again
in the fields. From late October to early
March, the temperate climate gives an average of five sunshine hours per day, making
it an ideal time to enjoy Menorca’s great
outdoors. With November temperatures
only falling to around 15º C (feeling much
warmer in the sun), the sea is also still warm
enough for comfortable swimming at 20º C.
During these months, visitors can take their
time to visit deserted beaches without the
intense heat of summer, go for long coastal
and country walks that promise breathtaking
scenery or immerse themselves in a hobby
Having successfully introduced these concepts in France, Germany and Russia over
recent weeks, November is now a very important month for the island when members
of the Consell Insular de Menorca will be
meeting with leading companies and representatives from the UK, its largest tourist
market, at the World Travel Market in London.
UK: Menorca has exhibited at the World
Travel Market for over 20 years, and the
2013 event will see the island represented
by its President Santiago Tadeo and Tourism
Minister Salomé Cabrera, who will meet with
Britain’s most important Tour Operators,
Agents and Airlines to discuss plans for 2014
and beyond.
The UK is still by far Menorca’s largest tourist
market and this year (up to 30 September
2013) over 422,902 visitors have passed
through Mahón airport, representing around
40% of the island’s tourism industry, and an
estimated 5% increase over 2012 which saw
a total of 414,245 visitors over the 12 month
period. August without doubt remains the
favourite month with around 95,000 Brits
choosing to holiday in Menorca. However, the past decade has seen a decline in
the number of holidaymakers out of the
high season, when many say the island is at
its best. Addressing this imbalance is now a
main focus for the island government’s Tourism Department with new initiatives and
strategies to promote Menorca to a wider
audience and recapture the once buoyant
months of April / May and October.
Menorca is confident that its enhanced
tourism proposals, which include Natural,
Active, Cultural, Gastronomy and Lifestyle
holiday options to complement its well established Mediterranean family beach holidays, will be well received as they reflect the
changing demands of the modern international traveller.
Home & International News.
Spain: Menorca has just participated in a
‘Road Show’ around five major cities in Spain
as part of a marketing initiative organised by
the Balearic Government to promote the
varied and individual tourism attractions in
each of the islands outside the traditional
summer holiday months. The ‘Road Show’
spent a day in Málaga, Barcelona, Madrid,
Valencia and Bilbao with activities for both
the trade and public to enjoy.
Menorca has received a TripAdvisor ‘Travellers’ Choice Destinations 2013’ award.
Based on consumer feedback, the logo will
appear on Menorca’s website and on other
publicity material to show that TripAdvisor
travellers voted the island one of their favourite destinations.
Minube, the interactive worldwide destinations website that helps people to plan and
book their holiday, now has a page for Menorca including a Travel Guide (also available
as a mobile app) which can be downloaded in
English. An increasingly popular travel infor-
mation, Minube gives professional write ups
on locations and things to do as well as consumer reviews and comments based on first
hand experiences.
France: Following a successful show at Top
Resa in Paris, Menorca is now working leading French Tour Operator Plein Vent who
will be offering a complete holiday experience in Menorca with organised excursions
and site-seeing tours, starting with an initial
weekly flight out of Nantes, stopping in Paris,
between April and October 2014. Holidays
to Menorca will also be available through
Marmara, part of the TUI Group, as Menorca continues to develop its share of the
French holiday market.
Russia: Following Menorca’s first season
working with Tour Operator Versa, emerging
market Russia can confirm good results and
positive feedback from first time Russian
holidaymakers, with figures looking set to increase for 2014. As part of the commitment
to develop relationships further, Menorca’s
Tourism Minister Salomé Cabrera visited
the INWETEX-CIS Travel Market in St Petersburg to meet with Versa and establish
contacts with other tour operators and travel professionals, and will also be present at
MITT in Moscow in March 2014.
Germany: Following the TourNatur exhibition in Dusseldorf in September, which
specialises in walking and hiking holidays,
and recent visit by a group of German tour
operators and travel agents specifically to
promote cycling holidays in Menorca, the
German active tourism market continues to
grow with visitors choosing the cooler and
quieter autumn and spring months.
FIRST LIGHT ON MENORCA
Seasonal news from the island of Menorca
MENORCA
CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
AS A BIOSPHERE RESERVE
such as photography, painting or bird watching. The more active can hire a mountain
bike and discover the Camí de Cavalls, the
ancient bridle path that encircles the island.
Horse riding, sailing, windsurfing and kayaking
are also readily available and make perfect
autumn and spring activities to enjoy. And,
after all that exercise, sampling Menorca’s
excellent cuisine in one of the many bars and
restaurants is a great excuse for a long, lazy
and indulgent lunch. With a good selection
of accommodation to suit all budgets, Maó
and Ciutadella provide the perfect base from
which to explore the towns, countryside and
nearby beaches. For UK visitors looking for a
one-week break, there are direct flights out
of Gatwick on Fridays throughout the winter and early spring until the seasonal flights
resume in April. For shorter periods, there
are regular daily flights linking the island to
Barcelona, a main international hub airport.
ruc Corazón fashion and Shiseido cosmetics
are just a few examples. Almost everyone in
Spain will still remember the wonderful
‘feel-good’ commercial for Estrella Damm,
which captured the spirit of summer holidays
in Menorca, enhanced by the backing track
which went on to became a massive summer hit of 2010 throughout Spain. Famous
Spanish fashion designer Baruc Corazón
has produced the catalogue for his Spring /
Summer 2014 Collection in Menorca. The
striking landscapes he knew so well as a child
now form the natural setting for his 2014
publicity campaign, where Menorca’s ‘unobvious luxury’ and affinity with nature are
echoed in the understated simplicity, quality
and elegance of his new collection. Menorca
was also chosen by cosmetics brand Shiseido
as the setting to promote its new anti-cellulite cream due to the clarity and diversity
of its light. Filmed on the beaches of Binigaus and Punta Prima, with the Isla del Aire
lighthouse creating a magnificent backdrop,
the ad features professionals from Spain’s
National Dance Company.
ADVERTISING
PROFESSIONALS
CHOOSE MENORCA
It would be fair to say that everyone who lives
in Menorca never ties of its natural beauty.
This filters down through every aspect of the
island, from its unspoiled beaches and varied
coastline through to its picturesque countryside and natural woodlands. Well, Menorcans
are not alone. In their quest to search out
new locations that encapsulate the essence
of the products they are trying to promote,
more and more advertising companies are
turning to Menorca’s outstanding scenery
and relaxed way of life as a backdrop for their
latest campaigns. Estrella Damm beer, Ba-
AUTUMN 2013
On Tuesday 8 October 2013, Menorca
celebrated a very special anniversary. It
was 20 years ago, in 1993, that the whole island was declared by UNESCO as a
Reserve of the Biosphere, signifying an
agreement between man and nature to
coexist in harmony. Blessed with outstanding environmental diversity characteristic of nearly all Mediterranean island
ecosystems, Menorca is currently one of
only 621 locations in 117 countries around
the world to be awarded protection as a
biosphere zone. This status compels its
inhabitants to ensure the island’s cultural heritage, beautiful rolling countryside
and dramatic coastline remain unspoiled,
and to accept sustainable economic development compatible with the conservation of nature. It also distinguishes Menorca over other holiday destinations. In
addition to its stunning land and seascapes, which vary significantly between the
north and south of the island, Menorca
is valued for the many species of plants
and wildlife that are unique to the island,
as well as for its strong archaeological and
ethnological heritage which includes over
30 megalithic sites dating back to prehistoric times. Areas of exceptional natural beauty include Macarella, Algendar,
Binigaus, Algaiarens and Cala Tirant, not
forgetting the coastal wetlands of Addaia,
Son Saura, Son Bou and, often referred
to as the heart of Menorca’s Biosphere
Reserve, the spectacular S’Albufera des
Grau nature reserve in the north east of
the island.
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AUTUMN 2013
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AUTUMN 2013
PICK OF THE BEST FOR AUTUMN
little chapel which houses a carved statue of
the Black Madonna, known as the Verge del
Toro, and an imposing statue of ‘Jesus of the
Sacred Heart’.
From getting out into the fresh air on foot,
bike or horse to discovering pre-historic monuments and the strong British-Menorcan
connections, now is the time to take advantage the tranquil autumn days and the many
activities Menorca can offer. Here’s our pick
of the best.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE 2014
TOURIST SEASON
Salomé Cabrera
Tourism Minister
Consell Insular de Menorca
Menorca Tourist Board
Camí des Castell, 28 - 07702
Maó - Spain
Tel: +34 971 36 86 78
www.menorca.es
A big welcome to the second issue of our newsletter, First Light
on Menorca, which enables us
to keep in touch with people
planning a holiday to our lovely
island, regular visitors and, of
course, our valued international
travel partners. We were inspired
by positive feedback we received
from the first edition, and look
forward to bringing you much
more information about what’s
happening in Menorca, places
to visit and things to do over the
coming months. For those who
wonder why the newsletter is
called ‘First Light’, Menorca is
the first place in Span to witness
the sunrise and we also want our
newsletter to be first with topical information about Menorca. Autumn is a very busy and
exciting time for the Menorca
Tourism Department, as we participate at international exhibitions to negotiate and discuss
proposals for 2014. In addition
to our traditional summer holiday market, our focus is very
much on promoting the many
other wonderful things Menorca
has to offer, such as its culture,
gastronomy and nature. Indeed,
Menorca has just celebrated its
20th anniversary as a UNESCO
Reserve of the Biosphere, testament to the island’s continued
commitment to preserve and
maintain its unspoiled countryside and natural beaches for
everyone to enjoy. This month
sees us exhibit at the World Travel Market, London, one of the
most important showcases for
Menorca on the exhibition calendar. The UK continues to be
our biggest tourism market with a
history spanning some 40 years,
although more recently we have
seen the number of visitors become largely concentrated into
the high season. Our objective is
to promote our holiday offering
outside this period in response
to the growing demand for more
activity based tourism and in an
effort to rekindle this important
early and late season business,
especially in April and October
when there is still so much to
see and do. We hope you enjoy
this ‘snapshot’ of Menorca in the
quieter autumn months and that
it will entice you or your customers to visit and discover more
about Menorca and its hidden
treasures. Your feedback is
always welcome, and if you have
any comments about any of the
articles, you can contact me at:
[email protected]
To read the articles in full on our
website, scan the QR code:
Head to the beach: Discover Menorca’s beaches in the comfort of cooler temperatures
without the summer crowds. The island’s
stunning beaches are one of the best places
to be when the sun shines and are there to
be enjoyed all year round, providing the perfect opportunity to unwind, have a picnic and
even swim in the crystal clear waters with
sea temperatures still a pleasant 20º C.
Enjoy the countryside: Walk, cycle or horse
ride around Menorca’s diverse terrain. With
its narrow unpaved lanes, patchworks of fields
separated by impressive dry stone walls, lush
woodlands, wetlands and outstanding land
and seascapes, the island looks spectacular bathed in autumn sunlight. Of particular
note is the nature reserve of s’Albufera d’Es
Grau, rich with natural flora, fauna and bird
life, and the Camí de Cavalls, the ancient
bridle path that encircles the island, taking
you past some of the loveliest undeveloped
beaches on the island.
Experience town life: Explore lesser-known,
inland towns and soak up local culture. Discover historic buildings, shops, bars, restaurants and local street markets in towns such
as Es Mercadal, Alaior, Ferreries and Es Mig
jorn Gran. Check out if there are any events
or concerts taking place, a great way to experience Menorcan life and traditions.
Eat like a local: Enjoy lazy lunches and sample Menorca’s traditional gastronomy. Order
the popular Menu del Día which often features traditional dishes. Particular specialities
include the famous ‘caldereta de llagosta’, a
typical lobster stew; ‘sobrasada’, a spicy cured sausage; ‘queso de Mahón’, Menorca’s
own cheese made in farms around the island;
‘Xoriguer gin’, a legacy from the British occupation and ‘carquinyols’, a type of macaroon.
A view from the top: Take a trip up Monte
Toro and be amazed by magnificent panoramic views across the island and as far as
Mallorca. Rising 358 metres above sea level,
this is Menorca’s highest point approached
by a steep winding road where there is a
sanctuary dating back to the17th century, a
Step back in time: Marvel at the amazing
network of prehistoric monuments scattered all over Menorca. Navetas (around 1400
BC), thought to be a collective tomb, resemble an inverted boat built from large stones; Talaiots (around 1000 BC), are rounded
stone structures, thought to have been watchtowers, dwellings or burial places and Taulas (around 800 BC), unique to Menorca,
consist of two huge, rectangular, limestone
slabs one vertical and the other placed horizontally across it in a T shape, thought to be
sacrificial alters or places of worship.
Discover a fascinating history: Visit historic
buildings that witnessed Menorca’s turbulent
history during the 18th and 19th centuries
as nations fought over its naturally deep and
sheltered harbour, a haven for naval fleets
during warfare.
Two significant buildings include the world’s
first British naval hospital, built on the Isla del
Rey in Maó harbour during the first British
occupation of Menorca. Now the focus of
a huge restoration project, volunteers work
tirelessly to reconstruct the hospital building
and its surrounds. Visitors can join the Sunday working party for a tour and to see the
dedicated work taking place. The Fortalesa
Isabel II, named after the Spanish queen, is a
well preserved 19th century fortress situated
at the entrance to the port. Also known as La
Mola, the impressive fortress is open all year
round when visitors can walk around the site
or take a guided tour to see the underground
magazines, loading chambers, cannon and
gun emplacements.
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AUTUMN 2013
‘MADE IN MENORCA’… REFLECTING ISLAND
ENTERPRISE
From shoes, jewellery and pleasure boats to
cheese, cured meats, wine and gin, many visitors to Menorca are unaware of the thriving
artisan industries located around the island.
That is until now. ‘Made in Menorca’ is a
brand new marketing initiative, developed by
the Fundació Destí in conjunction with local enterprise, specifically to promote those
products that are typical of the island and, in
doing so, further differentiate and enhance
Menorca’s attraction as a tourist destination.
For many years, the manufacturing sector
has been an ‘unsung ambassador’ for Menorca worldwide. The ‘Made in Menorca’
campaign now encompasses these longstanding, skilled trades that employ traditional methods wherever possible, highlighting
how they are a true reflection of the island’s
traditions, character and history. The objective is to let tourists know that Menorca has
much more to offer than simply sunshine and
beaches, with its own unique products each
made with care and passion to an exceptionally high standard.
The campaign has been publicised on the
island’s busses and a special booklet has been
printed that explains the different artisan
products and their manufacturing process.
A series of promotional videos is also planned that link each product line to the island
through landscapes, traditions and lifestyle.
The publicity material will be available in the
island’s tourist offices and will be distributed
to tour operators, travel agents and the media as well as at international travel and spe-
cialist exhibitions.
They say, ‘to know Menorca is to know its
produce’ and the new ‘Made in Menorca’
campaign with its slogan, ‘We are what we
do’, encapsulates this sentiment perfectly,
giving uniqueness to the island and enabling
local manufacturers to sell their products
with pride, not just in Menorca, but all around
the world.
QUALITY LIFESTYLE ASSURED
DID YOU KNOW…?
Did you know that the Teatre Principal in
Maó is the oldest opera house in Spain…?
Built in 1829, on the site of an older theatre,
the Italian inspired design is horseshoe shaped with a capacity for 1,000 spectators in
the stalls and three tiers of boxes. In 1997,
a huge restoration programme began which
lasted four years to modernise and extend
the facilities, install new equipment and
ensure this iconic theatre would be able to
meet the requirements of a new century. Today, a regular and varied programme of concerts, dancing, plays and other performing
arts takes place, the highlight being the grand
annual opera organised by the Fundació Menorquina de l’Òpera and performed by some
of the world’s leading opera stars.
If you are planning a visit to Menorca and
looking for something a little special to do
one evening, especially in the cooler autumn
and spring, a trip to the beautifully restored
Teatre Prinical in Maó promises a night to
remember. You can check out what’s on and
book tickets either online or at the theatre
box office itself.
www.teatremao.com
In the first newsletter, we introduced the
concept of ‘Slow’, one of Menorca’s new
marketing messages that encompasses the
unhurried rhythm of island life. Slow proposes a different, reflective type of tourism in
direct contact with nature that allows you to
stop and ‘slow’ the beat right down, feeding
and re-energising mind, body and soul.
The autumn and spring months, outside the
busy summer holiday period, offer the perfect time to put this concept into practice
and judge for yourself the benefits. Between
October and early May, Menorca takes on
a different character when the emphasis is
away from hot sunny days on the beach and
long warm evenings wining and dining with
friends. The shorter, cooler days bring with
them the ideal opportunity to discover rural
Menorca … coastal walks, country horseback
rides, painting, photography, bird watching…
lost in thought without the pressure of time.
The perfect time also to indulge in Menorca’s
traditional cuisine that again changes with
the seasons, lighter in the summer and more
rustic and heart-warming in the winter, but
always prepared with time, care and attention
using fresh local ingredients by the growing
number of rural hotels and restaurants that
have adopted the Menorca Slow concept.
Menorca Slow is a quality of lifestyle and
one that the island is keen to share with its
visitors to ensure they leave Menorca feeling
refreshed, invigorated and ready for action.