Specialist holiday companies across Western Europe were preparing for poor summer sales figures for traditionally popular holidays in Majorca and other areas of Spain, but an awful summer for the weather in the UK has led to a pick up in holiday bookings, rescuing what could have been the worst year for a long time for overseas travel.
The wash-out in Britain has been so sustained that those tourists who hadn't booked by the time the summer holidays arrived often changed their original plans for a UK holiday to one abroad - and Majorca has benefitted from a late surge in holiday bookings from British families anxious to get some sun before facing the winter back home.
Compounding the dilemma many families have faced over whether to holiday at home in the UK or to take one in Majorca has been that so many weather forecasts have been wrong - even weather forecasts for 24 hours or less away.
Meanwhile the weather in Majorca has been consistently good, and while the British weather forecast has been unreliable, it's a little easier for Majorca as the summer has been exactly what people expect with sunshine and good temperatures - and a look at a Majorca weather forecast has been enough for many to leave the rain behind for a holiday in Majorca and glorious sunshine.
But despite the late surge from tourists opting for an overseas holiday instead of one at home, most estimates within the travel industry suggest a near 20 per cent fall in the number of Britons taking a holiday in Spain this summer, due to the fragile state of the British economy and worries over job losses.
It could be a while before the number of holidaymakers visiting Majorca returns to levels seen in the last few years as one leading tour operator has just reported that their winter bookings are down 17 per cent on last year - and in recent years there have been more people taking holidays in Majorca in the winter months - often for three day visits - as cheap flights to Majorca make it more affordable.
But with the British taking holidays at home this year and being disappointed with the weather, there is a good chance that the number of people taking Majorca holidays for 2010 will improve as people return to their old haunts - especially if the economy picks up.
Happily for the island the number of German people taking their holidays in Majorca this year hasn't fallen nearly as much as the British market - and with the German economy officially coming out of recession recently it will help the holidays in Majorca industry should the British market fail to improve in 2010.
How many people do visit the island in 2010 doesn't just depend upon the economy overall and how secure they feel in their jobs, but the strength of Sterling against the Euro is also an important factor. A couple of years ago a thousand pounds spending money would buy nearly fifteen hundred Euros, but currently British tourists would be lucky to get close to twelve hundred Euros given the state of the British currency.
In recent years there has been a trend away from staying in a hotel to villas, but recently this trend has reversed back in favour to the hotels in Majorca among British tourists, as all inclusive packages cut down costs and less spending money is needed. Not such good news of course for the independent bars and restaurants which many holidaymakers would frequent during better times, but something the hotels in Majorca are quite happy to see.
The future for tourism in Majorca is good - the island has a successful and active tourism board that actively promotes the virtues of the island as a holiday destination in a co-ordinated way compared to some other areas, and moves with the times by for example creating cycle tracks for the more eco-friendly holidaymaker as well as having the traditional reasons for a holiday - great beaches, hotels and a friendly people.
The island will be hoping it's enough to tempt British holidaymakers to book again for Majorca.
