The Guardian reports on how the U.S. dance scene is being influenced by Ibiza:

“What has happened with David Guetta has totally transformed the landscape and has elevated dance music culture to it’s highest point in 20 years,” said Ben Turner, co-founder of IMS.

“We have been trying to break down the barriers of North America for so long, and now doors are opening on every level.”

Guetta is in the vanguard of a new wave of European DJs and producers who are working with the biggest acts in the US, influencing a sound that originated on those shores.

He has collaborated with urban music behemoths from Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas to Kelly Rowland, Akon and Kelis, and produced the top-selling digital track in history, I Gotta Feeling.

Now others are breaking the mould. Dutch DJ and producer Tiesto, joined by English-Canadian DJ Richie Hawtin, aka Plastikman, and big-name Canadian DJ Deadmau5, headlined the Coachella festival in the US this year, while Lady Gaga has made pop dance music ubiquitous on commercial radio.

Dubstep, traditionally a British dance scene, is also making waves over the pond. After collaborating with British singer and rapper MIA, Yorkshire-born dubstep producer Rusko was recently chosen by Britney Spears to produce tracks on her new album. Dance music has been promoted to the main rooms of many clubs, and has become the sound of cities such as Las Vegas, where DJ Paul Oakenfold recently had a club built for his residency at the Palms Hotel, according to veteran DJ Pete Tong. “Guetta has fanned the flames of something that has been growing steadily through the noughties,” he added.

Festivals

The shift was brought on by a younger generation of dance music fans, traditionally excluded from the big clubs of New York and Chicago but embracing increasingly popular electronic music festivals including Electric Zoo in New York, and Electric Daisy Carnival in southern California which attracted 135,000 people last year.

“You have to be over 21 to go to a club but not to go to a festival. The under-21 scene is a huge phenomenon and that has given this new wave of dance music a real foundation,” said Tong.

Speaking to the Guardian at the IMS, Guetta said dance music was rediscovering its roots in the US. “House music and techno were born in the US. England made it trendy and even put it into pop, but it all started in the States.” The mainstream American press has been part of the problem, he said. “Dance music was for kids on drugs or gay guys. With the high tempo it was not the right format for radio and they said it would never work.”

That has changed and the next five to 10 years are going to be huge for dance music, he said. “We have to admit it, American artists, they’re good … They are going to make dance music their own, and then they are going to see it with a different perspective. It’s going to be very inspiring for us and is going to make the whole thing even bigger.”

Guetta’s collaboration with Will.i.am, often considered to be a turning point in America’s relationship with dance music, might never have blossomed had it not been for one of dance music’s secret weapons: an abundance of attractive female fans.

When Will.i.am went to a Guetta night in Ibiza, he came over to the DJ and the pair started jamming. Guetta later asked why he had come over. “He said: ‘All those hot girls were around the DJ booth, so I say I have to go to the DJ booth.’”

Commercialisation

Guetta brushes away accusations that the new wave of dance music is too commercial. “Dance music is the only genre, until now, where being successful is a bad thing. It puts someone on top and then slaughters them,” he said.

“There is always going to be an underground scene and it’s really exciting. But what makes us strong is that there is some big names, some underground names, and the fact that we are all together makes the whole thing big.”

He added: “I have said this many times: I am not trying to be credible, I am trying to be incredible.”

But some do worry that the boom in dance music in the US could threaten the authenticity of the scene, according to Ben Murphy, editor of DJ Magazine.

“In some ways it’s a double-edged sword. It’s exciting initially but could easily be used and abused. Some shockingly commercial efforts are going to give people the wrong idea about dance music in the States but hopefully people will also be exposed to the good side.”

To read the full article click here

The Irish Times ran a very good article recently about Ibiza, and to read the full article click through to them here

IT’S 20 YEARS since the Ibiza clubbing craze went global and this small Spanish island in the Mediterranean carved out its own very particular niche.

Now, all grown up, those same clubbers are coming back but with their families in tow and, while they still like their highs, they prefer them to be legal. Without attempting to diminish the clubbing culture (it still brings in huge revenues) tourist chiefs on the island are setting out to reinvent Ibiza as a location for adventure sport, including cycling, diving, kayaking and horse riding.

But can an island that is still attracting so many night-time revellers really co-exist with the demands of the adventure tourist? There’s only one way to find out.

I like my sports and I like my food so signing up for a package of cycling, diving, and kayaking while enjoying the best of Ibiza’s restaurants isn’t too difficult. I’d never been to the island before but I’ve heard the stories and had a one-dimensional image in my mind. I was wrong.

Despite being spooked by a group of young Irish women on a hen party who were so drunk on landing that they literally couldn’t stand up, and had to support each other to show their passports at the airport, I didn’t see much evidence of the hedonism I had heard of.

The first reason for this is the choice of accommodation. Ibiza has a huge range of hotels and apartments on offer and the best are those tailored for families. Most of the people on the packed flight from Dublin seemed to be in this bracket and they were all heading to family type accommodation away from the main centres of the island. I checked in to the four-star Sirenis Seaview Country Club, a large resort hotel with incredibly friendly staff and in a great location.

The second reason is the timetable you keep when on an adventure holiday. While I was out exploring the island by day the clubbing set were sleeping off the night before and by the time they were up and about again I was already in a restaurant or bar building myself up for the following day and, although I had promised myself a night in the clubs, I was too exhausted to take them in. A good night’s sleep promised more kilometres covered the following day.

And you do need your sleep. I packed loads into my few days in Ibiza and discovered an island I simply didn’t know. The landscape is outstanding, the food was some of the best I’ve ever had and the friendly welcome I got everywhere was incredibly refreshing. I charged through it all with abandon and even got time to lie by the pool. Ibiza has built a new string to its bow and with luck the adventure has only just begun.

Diving

I’ve never dived before. I love the water but the idea of staying beneath it for more than one lungful of air makes me a little nervous. I could have taken the easy way out and just gone snorkelling but I was there for new experiences so swallowed my fears and strapped on my wetsuit and oxygen tank for an introduction course with Arenal Diving.

Sensing my fears, Siobhan, my diving instructor, decided my first lesson should be in a pool. But weather permitting (and it usually does) you can safely take your first lesson in the sea. It really is hard to describe the feeling that diving creates and it is immediate. As soon as I dropped beneath the surface and took my first breath underwater my fears fell away. And this first step really is the hardest.

Telling your brain to start breathing is most difficult and most liberating part. It really is another world.

The instructors at Arenal are naturally passionate about Ibiza. Their eyes light up when you ask them about the water, the sea life or the coastline. They talk about the caves and coves that lie beneath the surface the way others talk about their children.

The walls of their offices are covered in incredible photographs of sea life from the waters around Ibiza and they can give you a camera and teach you how to capture them too.

Photography is particularly popular here because of the tremendous visibility in the water, with an average of 30-40 metres or more on a good day.

A diving event worth planning for : free-diving underwater photography festival, September 12th.

Where I ate to recover : El Olivio is in the heart Ibiza town near the old walls of the city. It is the place to be and its terrace was thronged with the bold and the beautiful all night long. People queued for tables – a great sign given that there were plenty of quieter restaurants nearby.

On my menu : Sardines marinated in ginger and grated parmesan cheese; Tuna steak with roast vegetables and potatoes; Nougat ice cream

• Arenal Diving, arenaldiving.com

Kayaking

Kayaking is my sport. I love it and will talk about it with anyone who lets me. There is simply no more satisfying feeling than driving a kayak across the sea, into caves, through coves and into the unknown.

I’m a big wave, strong wind, winter weather kind of guy – at least in my head. So to simply turn all that off and push out into a calm sea, in warm waters and under a sun that is never going to get lost behind a blanket of cloud, is a terrific change.

The coast of Ibiza is highly serrated, creating lots of rock gardens and inlets for the kayaker to explore. There are plenty of caves and smaller islands dotted around and the sea almost invites you to capsize. My tour guide Domingo took us on a short paddle from Es Canar to Cala Nova beach to give us a taste of what the island could offer.

His company Ibiza Mundo Activo offers guided tours, all levels of training and expeditions.

For Irish kayakers looking for an alternative to the Atlantic or the Irish Sea this really is the place to go. It’s a perfect winter training ground and a fantastic place to warm those weary muscles in preparation for taking on the Atlantic all over again. And for those who would like to give the sport a try there can be no safer or more enjoyable place to start: no wetsuits, no winds, no fear of the cold – just pure unadulterated pleasure.

A kayaking event worth planning for : around Ibiza by kayak – an international sea kayak festival from October 4th to 10th circumnavigating the island.

Where I ate to recover : I’ve been to beachside restaurants before but none of them prepared me for the elegance and minimalist beauty of the Zen Sea restaurant – or for the food. Overlooking the Cala Nova beach, it is a destination in itself and an easy way to lose half a day in the best of food and drink.

On my menu : salmon and salmon eggs, goats cheese salad with asparagus; marinated chicken; seafood paella

Cycling

Ibiza has made cycling a priority in its tourism drive. There can be no better way to truly see what the island has to offer and to take a break from the coastline.

A new series of cycling routes have been developed and are organised on the same principle as ski runs: green for easy, black for very difficult and other levels in between.

I was taken on a moderate/easy route of about 8kms along the coast. It comprised a combination of rocky mountain bike trails, rough paths and roadway.

We were led in a group by Bartolo Planells Saez, who works with Ibiza Sport, a company that offers guided tours of the island, bike hire and an all-in cycle tour of Ibiza (organising your accommodation in a different place each day and delivering your luggage there while you take a more leisurely route by bike). Ibiza is a hilly island with a great diversity of terrain and is really well suited to all sorts of cyclists. The easiest green routes all take in the coastline and aim to finish on a beach. Route 12 is a black one called Ibiza Extreme. It takes you along a 58km route touching the tops of the highest points on the island, some of which are nearly 400m high and with steep drops on either side. According to some, going up is hard but coming down can be terrifying.

Inland, the rural landscape is great to see and for those not suited to off-road mountain biking terrain the recently re-laid major roads are much better than any in Ireland, and much safer for cycling too. It’s also a great way to see the real rural life of Ibiza up close.

Built upon the fusion created by the Ibizian wife (Victoria) and French husband (Francis) who run it, the couple only prepare food which is in season and they are are undoubtedly in love with the land it comes from, as well as very obviously with each other. From the moment we sat down to the moment we left we were treated like old friends and will certainly return.

On the menu : olives and garlic paste; roast peppers and anchovies; octopus, vegetables and fried potatoes; prawns in garlic; chocolate con churros

The magic of the Med

The sea surrounding Ibiza really is as crystal clear as photographs suggest and it’s created by nature. In 1996 one of the largest living organisms, an 8sq km plant called Posidonia Oceanica, was discovered. A sea grass that grows in meadows on the sea bed, it filters impurities from the water and creates the conditions that give divers and swimmers around the island 40-plus metres of visibility under water.

It also acts like a natural reef because it can grow to 4 metres high and become what some people call a tropical forest, protecting the coastline from heavy storms and high seas. It is also suspected to be over 100,000 years old, prompting the question of why it took so long for the scientific world to find it. Now part of the World Heritage Sites on Ibiza it is, like most natural resources, under threat from development and pollution. But meanwhile it continues to pump oxygen into the sea and filters impurities from it, helping to create the crystal clear waters that we all crave.

News from The Independent about the imminent opening of Mallorca Rocks:

For years it was known as the “Gomorrah of the Med” – a paradise island of unparalleled hedonism where clubbers could behave as badly as they liked on the streets of San Antonio.

But Ibiza’s reputation rapidly improved when indie music invaded, bringing an altogether more calm clientele to the sun-kissed shores of the White Island. Now the promoter who helped cement Ibiza’s reputation as one of the summer’s best live music venues with “Ibiza Rocks” is hoping to do the same for nearby Mallorca.

Andy McKay, an Ibiza mainstay who has pioneered guitar music in his venues over the past five years, is currently putting the finishing touches to a major “Mallorca Rocks” hotel complex in Magaluf which will host many of the indie bands playing in Ibiza this year.

Speaking to The Independent today he said: “We invaded Ibiza with a guitar and we hope to do the same with Mallorca. As a tourist destination Mallorca is much more representative of UK youth culture than Ibiza which, because it was such a clubbing mecca, was initially quite difficult to break into. It’s a logical step to try and bring the Ibiza Rocks label to Mallorca.”

The opening of the hotel now means that bands and artists such as The Kooks, Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal and Pendulum will play sets in both Ibiza and Mallorca this summer. Other acts that have also been confirmed for Ibiza include The Prodigy, who were announced yesterday as the headline act, and Florence and the Machine.

Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke will also play his first ever live solo set in Ibiza this summer after the group split to follow their own individual projects.

Whether the 18-25 crowd heading to Mallorca this summer will be as enamoured of indie music as Ibiza’s regulars remains to be seen, but McKay is confident that guitar music will catch on.

“The tickets for Mallorca Rocks have only been on sale for a month and they’ve already overtaken Ibiza,” he said. “And Ibiza’s up 59 per cent on last year so far.”

McKay also hopes that an influx of indie fans will help provide Magaluf with a balance to the more drunken revellers that often crowd into the resort bars each summer.

“Magaluf has a lot of the problems that San Antonio had a few years back,” he said. “Ibiza Rocks has helped to change the nature of youth culture out there. Perhaps the same could happen in Mallorca?”

Ibiza Rocks first took off in 2005 when McKay invited guitar bands such as Dirty Pretty Things and Kasabian to play live sets in Manumission, an iconic club night that was founded by McKay and his brother. Manumission, which was famous for its live sex shows, topless dancers and high wire acrobats, stopped running last year. The Ibiza Rocks brand has continued to go from strength to strength. To read the full article click here

Ibiza isn’t just for clubbing, as a Guardian journalist found out recently:

I missed out on Ibiza in my 20s. There was no package to San Antonio, no lost weekend at Manumission. Now 37, and with a husband and a two-year-old in tow, was I too old to discover the Mediterranean’s most hedonistic island? Yes, said colleagues, laughing. I imagine Harriet Harman would get this response if she suggested an office outing to Fabric.

They were wrong, as it happened. Yes, there are temples to youth and hedonism all over this tiny island – in late October, giant billboards lined the main roads, advertising end-of-season parties at Eden, Pacha, Amnesia – but it’s also a laid-back, inclusive kind of place, embraced by hippies of all ages, from six months to 80-plus.

We wanted a grown-up break, somewhere quiet and a bit of a treat, and which didn’t mind toddlers. Maybe even liked them. Ibiza has plenty of super-stylish retreats but a week spent shushing Lila by the pool would have been no holiday. Nor did we want lots of childcare and organised activities: the point was to spend relaxed time together. The Ibizan tourist board pointed us to what sounded just the place – Can Gall, a converted 200-year-old farmhouse with nine bedrooms, a 16m infinity pool and grounds overflowing with bougainvillea and morning glory. To read the rest of the article at The Guardian click here

For hotels in Ibiza visit youribiza.net

If you’re thinking of visiting Ibiza this year for a clubbing holiday, an excellent site to visit is http://www.loveibiza.net

In a survey recently they found:

Ibiza looks set to continue to grow in popularity as a holiday destination, according to the findings of a recent survey conducted by Ibiza holiday guide website Love Ibiza (loveibiza.net).

In a survey of 232 clubbers who had visited Ibiza in 2009 for holidays and working holidays, 45% were visiting Ibiza for the first time and 96% of respondents said that they would be returning to Ibiza for future holidays. 78% intend to return to Ibiza for their summer holidays in 2010.

The Ibiza clubbing scene has evolved in recent years from being focused solely on house music to being more inclusive of other genres, this has led to an increase in the popularity of Ibiza outside its traditional core audience. The popularity of Ibiza as a holiday resort among young people does not appear to be negatively impacted by the economic downturn or the increasing price of holidaying in Europe.

A number of other key finding from the survey, titled the ‘Ibiza Holiday Census’, show:

- Easyjet was the most popular airline for flying from the UK to Ibiza
- Holidaymakers preferred to plan their trips independently using the internet to get the lowest prices on flights and hotels
- The respondents were on the whole satisfied or very satisfied with the service they received on their Ibiza holidays, including flights and accommodation.
- Although the summer job market in Ibiza is competitive the majority of season workers found employment in Ibiza soon after arriving.
- Amnesia, which starred in the Kevin and Perry movie set in Ibiza, was named the most popular nightclub by the survey

For the latest Ibiza weather visit http://www.youribiza.net

20 somethings along with college and university students looking to spend time travelling and partying are signing up for the latest trend in travel. Clubbing holidays are increasingly popular with young people, particularly the 18 to 30-year-old crowd.

Travel agencies are targeting this sector with holiday packages centered around the world’s best clubs. Travel agencies that specialise in clubbing holidays are springing up everywhere, particularly on the Internet. It signifies a trend toward travel for purposes of partying as opposed to sight seeing or relaxing. Twenty-somethings looking to spend time on the world’s best dance floors should consider these clubbing holiday destinations:

* Ibiza: Look at any top clubbing holiday destinations list and you’ll likely find Ibiza near or at the top. This island is the third largest of the Balearics in Spain’s Mediterranean. It’s considered a part of Spain, but is one of many of Spain’s “autonomous communities.” It supports its own government, schools and health and social services. It also has its own distinctive culture, a mix of Spanish and other historical influences.

Ibiza has long been known as the party capital of Europe. It is even known by many as the party capital of the world. The island did not earn this reputation by chance. It was a carefully plotted strategy by tourism officials already blessed by the great weather in Ibiza in past decades to draw visitors to the small island. Today it is well known for its variety of clubs which cater almost exclusively to tourists. It is, in fact, home to the world’s largest nightclub.

Ibiza draws millions of clubbing holiday tourists annually. Most of them fall into the 18-30 year old category.

The island’s reputation often belies its true cultural history though. Ibiza is also home to large protected natural environmental areas. These have received World Heritage Site recognition from the United Nations. This status ensures they will never be developed due to their ecological and historical significance.

* Cyprus: This independent island country is also located in the Mediterranean. Cyprus does not have the nightlife history that Ibiza has. Nevertheless, it has begun to gain a reputation as a popular place for a clubbing holiday. This is due to a number of Cyprus’ resorts making deliberate moves to cater to visiting club hoppers. The island is now home to several famous clubs.

Like Ibiza, there is more to Cyprus than dancing and drinking. A plethora of cultural activities and events take place year round. Cyprus is also home to some of the world’s most fascinating and diverse ancient ruins. The Cyprus weather, of course, is also another factor that draws tourists, both clubbers and non-clubbers.

* Miami, Florida: Miami is a culturally diverse city, and its clubs are equally diverse. Miami’s music scene is world-famous. Much of its music is influenced by Cuban and other Spanish and Caribbean cultures. Naturally, many of its clubs feature Spanish and Caribbean music and dance styles. Conga, reggae, rumba, salsa, meringue and calypso are just a few “ingredients” that season the palette of Miami’s club scene.

Miami Beach may also be included under this umbrella, though it is actually its own separate municipality. Miami Beach might be called the new Daytona Beach. Daytona Beach, once the spring break capital of the Southeastern U.S., has lost much of its party reputation. Young people looking for clubbing holidays in a smaller city setting are choosing Miami Beach over the city of Miami or Daytona Beach.

Both Miami and Miami Beach have tourism industries which cater almost exclusively to twenty-somethings. Tourists who want quieter holidays usually avoid these two places, though both cities have many other attractions.

Clubbing holidays aren’t for the faint-hearted. Those looking for constant activity and who enjoy late, long nights will find these and other clubbing holiday destinations the perfect holiday destinations.

Coming soon to Ibiza - clubbers and music loving sun worshippers can get the best of both worlds at the International Music Summit 2009 on the island in May , the festival celebrating dance and electronic style music (synthpop) takes place May 27-29.

The International Music Summit (IMS) isn’t just your average rock concert. It’s a chance for musicians, producers, manufacturers, promoters and others in the music industry to network. It’s also a chance to learn about what’s new in the industry.

The first International Music Summit was held in Ibiza in 2008. The IMS was founded by the legendary British DJ Pete Tong. His ideal in creating the conference was to combine good music with opportunities for networking and to provide a “back to business ethos.”

The 2009 International Music Summit has space for 400 delegates, up from 300 in its first year. The number of spaces has been increased due to demand. It appears that the IMS may continue to grow in popularity over the next several years. This is due in part to Tong’s influence and his hard work in attracting quality musicians and speakers.

The fact that the conference is being held in Ibiza is not coincidental. The summit has been strategically scheduled to immediately precede Ibiza’s summer tourist season kick-off.

The Mediterranean island is well-known for its party atmosphere and numerous dance clubs. Tourism officials on Ibiza have been trying to shed its party image for a few years. Petty crime, public drunkenness and bad drug trips associated with the party life has given some a bad taste for the island despite the good weather in Ibiza

Despite the efforts of tourism promoters, party goers still flock to Ibiza by the thousands every year. This makes it the prime location for the International Music Summit, which caters to European/UK music lovers. Musician-tourists will be able to cavort with some of Europe and the UK’s most prominent businessmen and women. During the off times, they can enjoy Ibiza’s sunshine, the weather in Ibiza and waterfront life.

Of course, participants will also be able to enjoy concerts by some up-and-coming bands and artists. Concerts are open to all 400 delegates. Seven hundred tickets will also be available to the general public for the concert portions of the International Music Summit. Basement Jaxx and Filthy Dukes will be headlining.

Basement Jaxx, a duo consisting of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, have been around since the mid 1990s. The group went from headlining at the South London club Rooty to releasing their first album in 1999. Since then, their music has been featured in a number of movies and commercials. The band has even had a number four UK chart entry.

Filthy Dukes is relatively new to the music scene. The three-member synthpop group also hails from London. The band released singles and played clubs for several years until finally releasing its first full-length album in March of 2009.

The International Music Summit will also feature the DJ stylings of Pete Tong. Tong continues to draw fans, both to his radio programs and to his live performances at clubs across the UK and the world.

Tong, who carries a considerable amount of clout in his field, undoubtedly hopes to use his popularity to promote the International Music Summit. The success of the first IMS in 2008 promises to lend itself to this year’s version. The conference takes place at the world renowned Ibiza Gran Hotel, a landmark hotel on the map of Ibiza

The concert series will be performed in Dalt Vila - Ibiza’s Old Town. Dalt Vila rests inside an ancient walled castle. The location draws millions of tourists and locals every year. It’s a spectacular location for any event, and Basement Jaxx is reportedly delighted to be playing in such a famous historical venue. They look forward to wrapping up the 2009 International Music Summit in such a manner over Whitsun.

British and mainland Europeans are spending less money and less time on holidays as the recession takes grip, and one holiday destination certainly being affected is Ibiza.

Ibiza hotels experienced lower than normal occupancy rates from July to September of 2008 than for the same period in 2007, and many Ibiza hotels have dropped their rental rates for 2009 in response. The hope is that dropping rates will lead to less of a loss than not being able to fill rooms at all.

Ibiza is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, located about 80 kilometers off of Spain’s coast. Ibiza has a rich and colourful history. It isn’t for a history lesson that most tourists visit the island, however. Decades ago tourism promoters decided to market the island as a place to dance and party. The island is famous for its clubs, some raucous and infamous.

Ibiza was able to successfully portray itself as an endless party. The island is frequented by tourists who are mainly young people in their 20s and 30s. The island quickly became synonymous with more than just dancing and drinking. Ibiza currently battles prostitution and a thriving illegal drug trade.

Authorities, business owners and tourism officials have made deliberate efforts in recent years to clean up Ibiza’s shady image. The law has cracked down on the trafficking and sale of illegal drugs. Some towns have imposed mandatory closing times for local clubs and bars to shed the “party all night long” image. By-laws have been passed or are in the works to legislate the types of new Ibiza hotels that can be built. Many are even requiring that all new hotels be five star only.

The new Ibiza hopes to emerge with a cleaner image and plans to market itself as a place full of heritage and cultural activities. It has made efforts to attract more families. More family style attractions are being built. Ibiza hotels are offering better family rates to encourage bringing the kids along on holiday.

Ibiza was just starting to shed its raucous party image when the recession hit. Families are finding it increasingly difficult to afford travel to the island despite all that it has to offer them, including the glorious weather in Ibiza. Besides the worldwide recession, the depreciating British pound is also keeping regulars away.

It’s something of a vicious cycle. Airlines have been forced to cancel some flights to the island because there are too few visitors to fill airplanes. Fewer visitors are landing in Ibiza, but the number of hotel rooms has remained the same. Hotels have had to become creative and highly competitive in drawing those few tourists into their hotels.

Many hotels have simply slashed prices across the board. Most, though, have created gimmicks targeting specific types of tourist. Many have offered special deals aimed directly at British tourists. Still others have tried to recapture the family visitors by offering special prices for families. Some have offered free stays for children accompanied by an adult. Others are offering free room upgrades. Still others are giving four or five day stays for the price of three.

What 2009 brings remains to be seen. It’s too early in the New Year to give an accurate report about 2009 tourism. It won’t likely be until March that a truer picture of Ibiza tourism will emerge. Ibiza hotels must simply keep the deals fresh and hope that it will be enough to lure holidaymakers back to the once popular island.

Ibiza has something of a reputation among the young in Europe. It boasts some of the world’s most inviting beaches. It has also become known for its raucous nightlife. High tourist season (between June and September) sees thousands of holidaymakers partying the night away.

However, there is more to Ibiza than dance clubs.  Once the summer winds down, Ibiza becomes a quiet and inviting getaway.

The months between October and May are the best for tourists more interested in a cultural experience. The bars are still open, but they’re much quieter and more conducive to an intimate dinner. Holidaymakers visiting Ibiza in winter tend to come for the history. Smaller crowds mean culture-seekers have ample time and space to soak in the sights and sounds of the island.

The seat of its government is located in Ibiza Town. It boasts approximately 37,000 year-round inhabitants. It is small by world standards. Nevertheless, it is a must-see stop on any tourist’s winter Ibiza holiday.

Ibiza Town rests on the southeastern coast of the island. It is divided, like many ancient cities, into old and new Ibiza. The old part is Dalt Vila, or ‘Upper Town.’ Here tourists will find some of the oldest buildings in the Balearics. The cathedral of Santa Maria d’Eivissa is one example of ancient architecture here. The necropolis of Puig des Molins is another.

Eixample is the newer part of the city. This is where the island’s party reputation was born. Winter time is best for avoiding this stereotype and getting a true feel for the city’s restaurants, people and sites.

The island has been designated by the United Nations as a World Heritage site. This designation tends to be overlooked during the party season. Winter tourists, on the other hand, have time, space and quiet to appreciate it. This designation is given to areas that have cultural and/or natural importance as they pertain to the world at large. Thanks to Ibiza’s rich history and unique ecosystems, the island enjoys UN protection. It ensures that only responsible development occurs and ecology is preserved. It offers guidance to the local government in managing the area and balancing it with tourism and living space.

Winters on the island tend to be mild. Some rain can be expected in certain parts of Ibiza. Winter temperatures may not invite an ocean swim. They do allow for a good game of golf though, and the weather in Ibiza is comfortable. Even historical and cultural aficionados need to take a break. The island’s two major golf courses are currently undergoing a merger. When finished, the club will rival those of other parts of Spain.

Rates in many Ibiza resorts both luxury and economy drop during the off-season. This makes a winter Ibiza holiday extra appealing for Europeans used to the cold and snow back home.