On Location: Canadian agents find the “wow factor” in Spain’s Balearic Islands with Air Canada

“They left Canada with some notions of what to expect, but I think their expectations have been surpassed.”

That’s Karen Acs, principal, regional sales for Air Canada, summing up a recent FAM that took place in Spain’s Balearic Islands, organized ahead of the airline’s new direct route from Montreal to Palma de Mallorca, beginning mid-June, and departing three times a week until October.

“The reaction each time we got off the bus and entered our next activity was ‘Wow. We were not expecting this.’”

Wow factor, activated

Indeed, for the travel advisors along for the ride, the “wow factor” was in full effect every step of the way during the weeklong trip from April 16-23, which took attendees not only to Mallorca but also to the islands of Menorca, Formentera, and Ibiza, which form the Spanish archipelago. 

READ MORE: On Location: “Instagram-type island”: PAX unpacks Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands with Air Canada, agents

When it came to adding routes to their network this summer, Palm De Mallorca just made sense for Air Canada.

As previously reported, the destination will be served by the the airline's new Airbus 321 XLR, which takes off mid-summer, out of YUL. 

“This aircraft is the right size for this kind of a market,” said Acs. “It's a single aisle three-and-three configuration in economy and has an international standard business class with lie-flat seats.”

“The XLR stands for extra-long range, so what you have is a fuel-efficient aircraft that holds the right number of passengers for a market like this.”

For Judy Ziriada of YQG Travel out of Windsor, ON, the FAM was "an amazing experience." 

“There's a lot more to Spain than Barcelona, Madrid, and Malaga," Ziriada told PAX, which was invited to cover the trip, exclusively. "The Balearic Islands are a destination itself and each island has its own unique experiences. It’s a lot more than I ever dreamed of.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Andrée-Anne Duquette with Aqua Terra Travel out of Quebec. “An intensely beautiful new destination,” she said, “I feel like every Canadian now has to see this, I feel like this is kind of the new Greece.”

For Air Canada and Spain tourism, the goal of the FAM was to cover as much ground as possible and equip the participating travel advisors with the most amount of intel to take back to their clients.

“The Balearic Islands is a hidden gem.” said Maria Canfran with the Tourist Office of Spain in Toronto. “The role of the travel advisor is so relevant for us because they can explain the things they lived during this trip. They can explain that it's not only beaches or, for example, how that it’s not only parties in Ibiza.”

And destinations that are easy to access. “Once you’re in the area, visiting all four islands is an easy thing for travellers to do,” explained Acs.

As PAX learned on the ground, it’s accessible to purchase short flights between the islands, but you can also do it with ferries and boat transfers, which appeared to be a common way to do it.

For a travel agent, it would be easy to combine it, said Acs.

While the islands may be close together in proximity, each one offers a distinct experience.

"Each island has its own unique charm, history and specialties.” said Acs. ”There's an island for everyone's personality.”

Enter Palma de Mallorca

And discover these islands, the travel advisors most certainly did.

The participants hit the ground (and sea) running, immediately checking off items on the FAM’s expansive and all-encompassing itinerary.  

After the first couple days exploring Menorca including its capital city Mahón as well as Ciutadella the group hit up Palma de Mallorca where they explored Bellver Castle, the city's gothic-style castle built in the 14th century for King James.

After serving as a royal residence for years, it was then used as a military prison through the 18th to 20th centuries. It’s now one of the main tourist attractions on the island as one of the only circular castles left in Europe and the only one in Spain.

Bellver got its name from the Catalan language’s word for “lovely view” and offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the Bay of Palma.

Advisors also took part in a walking tour of the old town of Palma and a local wine tasting and food pairing at Bodega Son Vich de Superna, a stunning vonyard owned by the Sampol Massanet family, located in the Superna Valley between the municipalities of Esporles and Puigpunyent and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2011.

Advisors also toured the lush and historic site, Jardines de Alfabia, home to a historical house and picturesque gardens in the heart of the Tramuntana Mountains.

From there, they hopped on Tren De Sóller, a historic wooden train dating back to 1912 taking passengers from Palma through the Tramuntana Mountains into the town of Sóller, near the northwest coast of Mallorca, renowned for its modernist architecture and citrus groves.

There, advisors explored the town, sipped on sangria, enjoyed lunch, and were treated to an olive oil tasting.

Olives have grown on Mallorca since pre-Roman times, olive oil is a pillar of the Mediterranean diet, and Spain is considered one of the best places for olive oil.

The day capped off with a private cooking class where advisors each got a chance to roll up their sleeves and prepare a traditional Mallorcan meal before sitting down together, family-style and enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of their labour.

For Rocio Tascón Ruiz of The Mallorca Responsible Tourism Foundation, hosting Canadian travel advisors was an opportunity to open up the island to a new contingent of visitors.

“It's a great opportunity for us just to have this three-weekly flight,” she said.

Currently, travellers from Germany and the UK make up the largest demographic of tourists to Mallorca.

“Having the opportunity to invite another market [like Canada] is a win-win position for both of us. This is the kind of tourism we want to bring here,” she said.

See you in Ibiza

From Mallorca, a short flight took us to Ibiza where, after a walking tour of the island, we hopped a ferry for a 30-minute scenic ride over to Formentera which, at just 19 kilometres long, is the smallest of the Balearic Islands.

Known for its cliffs, white sandy beaches, and turquoise water, Formentera is a tranquil paradise often described as the undiscovered gem of the four islands.

A visit to the island’s lighthouse at dusk proved to be a favourite moment for the group.

Hot tip for visitors: near the lighthouse is a hole in the ground that, at first, may give Silence of the Lambs/Buffalo Bill vibes, but instead of being held hostage by a man who wants to make a skin suit out of you, you can crawl through a cave where, on the other side, you’ll find yourself on the side of a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean and treated to one of the most spectacular sunsets you’ll ever see.

After an overnight stay it was back to Ibiza where the group checked out the wares offered at the weekly Hippy Market before a visit to Destilerias Ibiza where everyone got the chance to pick herbs from the garden and bottle them to make their own gin.

After, advisors were given a diploma commemorating their new skills.

The epic FAM wrapped up with a sunset dinner on the beach in Ibiza.

For Juan Miguel Costa, director of the Ibiza Tourism Board, the upcoming Air Canada direct route from Montreal to Palma Mallorca will benefit his island as well.

“It’s always to have good flight connections. For a small island like us. it's essential. It's one of the main points that we need,” he said.

“We have not had many searches from Canada before this connection, but now, we are realizing that there's a lot of people from Canada who are interested in the Balearic Islands. The main point, for us, is to try and attract people to Ibiza – finally.”

Beyond Italy & Greece

The travel advisors who took part in the FAM have no doubt they’ll be able to sell the new route.

“I have a lot of clientele that have experienced the Greek islands, all of Italy has to offer, and to me, this is an area that has so much potential and people don't know it's here,” said Judy Ziriada of YQG travel. “It’s a hidden gem. I love it.”

Andrée-Anne Duquette with Aqua Terra Travel out of Quebec agrees.

“We have lots of clients that have been to Italy and Greece, but they really want to try something new. This is the destination for it,” she said. “You have the beach, the mountains, the food. I feel like it’s going to be very popular.”

For Karen Acs of Air Canada, the aim is to inspire travel advisors to encourage their clients to explore more of Europe.

“I'm hoping they see that there's a new place to discover that hasn't yet been explore, and that this place is safe, accessible, and great for couples, families, and all diversities,” she said.  

Ziriada agreed: “I think it's open to all ages. I see a young crowd in Ibiza, but even in Ibiza, they have so much agritourism, beautiful old farms. I think the demographics are wide open.”

Some of the travel advisors on the trip hoped the new route out of Montreal is such a success that Air Canada eventually extends the season, offering flights as early as March or April.

Ziriada, for one, believes the destination could appeal to clients who are looking to make the most of their spring getaways. “They're tired of going to Aruba, Barbados, Mexico, Dominican,” she said.

Caroline Fortier of Club Voyages JM, also in Quebec, agreed. “I think it's going to be a great alternative for all the sargassum problems that we have in the Caribbean. I’d love the flight to [depart] earlier in April.”

The consensus among the advisors is that the FAM, and the Balearic Islands themselves, bring the “wow factor.”

“I’ve missed the mark on how much Spain has to offer,” said Ziriada. “I’m really glad I was invited. It was a lot to do – four islands, several flights, and two ferries – but it was well worth it.”

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