A holiday destination that often gets forgotten in favour of its Spanish neighbours is hoping to attract more tourists. Some Brits are said to be reassessing their summer holiday plans, after hostility in popular places like the Canary Islands.
Today thousands have attended anti-tourist protests there, although tourism chiefs insist visitors are still welcome this summer. Despite the reassurance, the tensions are expected to deter some holidaymakers, who might now be looking for alternative destinations still offering sea, sand and sunshine and a warm welcome to Brits.
One potential option lies on Spain's south coast, though it is designated as a British Overseas Territory. Despite its size of just 6.7km2, Gibraltar has plenty to offer, not least its famous rock where monkeys roam among the stunning coastal views.
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This month the Visit Gibraltar tourism campaign rebranded, with the aim of "reimagining the perception of Gibraltar as a tourist product" to "shine a spotlight on Gibraltar’s hidden beauties". The campaign's tagline is 'Gibraltar - where the Med begins'.
Minister for tourism Christian Santos said: “I am delighted to be driving this relaunch and be part of the repackaging of Gibraltar to the world. Gibraltar has undeniably always had a reach outside our shores and this rebrand intends to propel this further.
"Our brand encompasses our history, unique culture, sustainability and energy. Our campaign not only promotes our sites but also focuses on our cultural identity, our lifestyle, and our traditions - identifiably British in so many ways, yet with that taste of the Mediterranean.”
CEO of the Gibraltar Tourist Board, Kevin Bossino, added: “This relaunch has been the perfect opportunity to reimagine what we stand for and how we portray that image to the outside world. We have embarked on various projects with stakeholders to improve our tourist product including niche markets such as weddings, diving and events."
Tourism bosses also hope to put Gibraltar on the map as a cruise destination, with Mr Santos confirming in a Facebook post this week: "Gibraltar is already well known in the cruising industry, but it is our plan and part of our new Tourism Strategy to continue to make Gibraltar one of the most desired cruise destinations in the Western Med for cruise companies and cruise guests."
Bristol is one of the UK airports running direct flights to Gibraltar, along with Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester. Passengers are often surprised by the unusual runway there, which crossed paths with a main road until a new tunnel opened last year - but while the vehicular route across the runway has now closed, pedestrians can still walk across it when they're given the all-clear that no flights are due to land.
