Holiday in Majorca

Image Courtesy: http://www.majorca-apartments.co.uk/weather.html


GUIDE TO MAJORCA
By thinking a little about your holiday destination before you travel, and taking
some simple steps when you are there, you can gain so much more from your
holiday. You will also be making a positive contribution to the people and the
places you visit.

MAJORCA
Majorca is the most popular holiday island in the Mediterranean.
The local population of under half a million has the highest
standard of living in Spain, thanks to more than 10 million
holidaymakers a year, many of whom consider the island their
“home from home”. This all brings great benefits to the Majorcan
economy, but mass tourism in such a small island can bring
problems, too. There are a few simple things you can do as a
visitor to help protect the local traditions, the Mallorquin culture,
the natural environment and everything else that makes Majorca
a favourite destination. You can make life better for your hosts –
and make your holiday experience even more enjoyable.

– DON’T WASTE WATER
Holidaymakers can help conserve water simply by taking
showers instead of baths and using towels for more than one
day, to reduce laundry. Majorca’s natural fresh water supplies
are dwindling fast. There are desalination plants that convert
seawater into fresh water, but in the peak season they simply
can’t cope with the demand, and water has to be shipped to the
island from the mainland. People who live in Majorca use water
carefully; so should you.

– ELECTRICITY IS A PRECIOUS RESOURCE: SAVE IT
WHENEVER YOU CAN
Turn off lights, fans and air-conditioning when you leave your
room. Electricity consumption increases every year and the
island struggles to meet demands for energy. There are plans
to use more renewable sources of energy, but in the meantime,
electricity is a valuable commodity that should not be wasted
needlessly.

– TAKE AS LITTLE EXCESS PACKAGING AS POSSIBLE
Before you leave home, remove any unnecessary external
packaging from anything you’re taking with you. Otherwise,
you’ll just be adding to the island’s waste disposal problems.
Majorca produces more domestic waste than any other part of
Spain – double the national average. The landfill sites are full
and it is becoming increasingly difficult to absorb the massive
amounts of rubbish. You can help by importing as little paper,
plastic, polystyrene etc as possible.

– CONSIDER SPENDING TIME AWAY FROM THE BEACH
Majorca’s beach resorts do get tremendously crowded in peak
season, but more and more visitors are discovering the joys of
the island’s rural interior. Walking, cycling and staying on
working farms are just three alternatives to a beach resort
holiday. There is more peaceful countryside, scenic beauty and
cultural variety on Majorca than you would guess if you simply
stayed near the beach. Venturing inland to discover it will
enrich your holiday experience and provide more lasting
memories.

– LEARN A LITTLE LANGUAGE
Most of the native islanders speak Mallorquí, a dialect of
Catalan. Around the coast it is easy to get by in English but
outside the main tourist areas many people do not speak
English. Taking the trouble to learn a few basic phrases in
Mallorquí shows you have a sympathy for the local culture and
encourages greater communication with local people.
You will get more out of your holiday – and the locals will make
you particularly welcome.

Article Courtesy:
http://www.makeholidaysgreener.org.uk/insider_guides/Destination%20Insider%20Guides/INSIDERS%20GUIDE%20TO%20MAJORCA.pdf

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