PROGRAMA DE VACACIONES PARA MAYORES

HOLIDAY
PROGRAMME
Description of the programme
Holiday programme for old people that
also maintains jobs in tourist areas
 Enjoy holidays in areas with a warm climate.
 Cultural trips to learn about the art and history of Spain
 Leisure and relaxation activities through nature tourism.
 Organised by IMSERSO
 Implemented by a services firm.
 Consolidated traditional programme. Running since 1985.
Objectives of the programme
Quality of life for old people
Maintaining jobs
Strengthening economic activity
Requirements for access to the programme
 Aged 65+
 Retirement pensioners
 Widow's pensioners: Aged >55
 Other pensioners: Aged >60
 Always valid
 No requirements for spouse
 Disabled son/daughter>45%
Special features:

Non-Spanish residents

Portuguese
Users' accreditation
Accreditation consists of the following stages:
Sending completed applications to the previous years' participants.
Distributing one and a half million new applications
Submitting applications
Selecting applications. Assessment criteria:

Age

Amount of pension

Enjoyed holidays in previous seasons
Accreditation:


Users with guaranteed places

Users without guaranteed places
Access to travel agencies.
Development of programme
Holiday shifts
15 days
10 days
8 days
 Mainland Spain
 Balearic Islands
 Canary Islands

Cultural
Trips
6 days
Nature tourism
5 days
International
exchanges
8 days

Tourist and
cultural
areas
Expert guide
Leisure and
relaxation activities
Expert guide
Andorra and
Portugal
Services included in the programme
Return travel, except for shifts without transport
Full-board accommodation
Double or single room, with supplement.
Special diet menu, if required
Additional health care
Leisure and free-time activities
Group insurance policy.
Places offered for holiday shifts
Andalusia
Balearic Islands
Canary Islands
Catalonia
Valencia Region
Murcia Region
Places offered for cultural trips
Aragon
Andalusia
Asturias
Cantabria
Castile–La Mancha
Castile & Leon
Catalonia
Valencia Region
Extremadura
Galicia
Rioja
Madrid
Navarre
Basque Country
Places offered for nature tourism
Andalusia
Catalonia
Aragon
Galicia
Castile & Leon
Improvments to the programme in recent years.
Access for more old people
More variety on offer
Travel insurance with wider cover for travellers
More information and facilities for booking trips
•
9,300 travel agencies
•
Website
•
Centralised online booking system.
Better service during holidays.
•
Single rooms
•
More comfortable transport
•
More sociocultural entertainment.
Assessment of the holiday programme for old people
Travelling to the destination:
What means of transport was used for the journey to the
destination?
60%
53,2%
50%
41,3%
40%
30%
20%
10%
3,3%
1,3%
0,2%
0%
Avión
Autobús
Coche/vehículo propio
Tren
Ns/Nc
Assessment of the holiday programme for old people
Accommodation:
With regard to the accommodation at your destination, how would you grade the following aspects?
5
4,25
4,25
4,24
4,24
4,23
4,22
4,22
4,21
4,06
4
3,79
3
2
1
0
Habitación
Personal:
animadores,
camareros, etc
Instalaciones
exteriores:
jardín, piscinas,
etc
El baño de la
habitación
Tranquilidad
(ausencia de
ruidos)
Instalacionies
interiores:
salones,
recepción,etc
Servicios: tele,
video,etc
Limpieza
instalaciones en
general:
habitación,
salones,
recepción, etc
Cercanía a la
playa
Cercanía al
centro ciudad
Assessment of the holiday programme for old people
Meals:
5
With regard to the accommodation at your destination, how would
you grade the following aspects?
4,04
4,04
4
3,88
3
2
1
0
Horario comidas
Cantidad comidas
Calidad comidas
Assessment of the holiday programme for old people
Intention to sign up for more holidays
Do you intend to sign up for more IMSERSO holidays in the
future?
Hotels taking part last season: on the coast
59
54
55
34
43
4
Andalucia
Murcia
Baleares
Canarias
Cataluña
C.Valenciana
1
1
C. Valenciana
2
Pasi Vasco
3
La Rioja
2
Navarra
3
turla
Madrid
9
Galicia
2
Extremadura
3
Castilla La
Mancha
Castilla-León
3
Cantabria
Cataluña
2
Asturias
Aragon
Andalucia
Hotels, cultural trips and nature tourism
19
6
1
Stays
Direct and induced use of the programme
Job creation and maintenance
Direct jobs 2007-2008 season: 13.343
Indirect jobs: 85.755
Direct jobs by business sector:
Sector
Hotels and catering
Jobs created
11,434
Land transport
340
Air transport
440
Travel agencies
843
Health care
268
Travel insurance
Total
18
13,343
Economic impact of the programme
Item
Total IMSERSO
Partial financing of holiday shifts
Sum
100,078
94,775
Health care
1,953
Travel insurance.
3,350
Cost of trip (travellers)
200,327
Total
300,405
direct cost
Total induced cost
Additional supply
270,365
52,189
Sundry expenses at destination
218,176
Total direct + induced
570,770
Income generated by the programme, by activity
2007-2008
TOTAL INVESTED BY IMSERSO
100,078
Social Security payments
35,663
Income Tax payments
12,405
Savings in unemployment benefits and allowances
50,670
VAT collected
45,023
Misc.
Sum recovered
9,949
153,710
25th anniversary of the holiday
programme
Hotels: From 19 to 307 last season
Travel agencies: from 100 points of sale to over 9,000, plus
online sales
Means of transport: From 10,000 to over 565,000 plane tickets
Places: From 16,000 to over 1,000,000
Jobs: From 1,717 employed by hotels to over 15,000
Changing user profile
Valued highly both by users and by the tourism sector
International Best Practice in Social Tourism
OITS Jean Faucher Award 2008