We’ve had the Wild Geese – those Jacobites who fled Ireland under Patrick Sarsfield in the 1600s. Then we had the Wine Geese – those who stayed and became subsumed into the wine industry in France and whose names appear on bottles to this day. Now, it seems, it’s the turn of the Wise Geese – the over-55s who know a good thing when it comes their way.

Pack your bags and go
It seems there are thousands of them – these Wise Geese who have taken up the offer of Spanish government subsidised holidays in the sun this winter. It may sound too good to be true but it’s not! Forget the cutbacks, the budgets, the cheeseparing, not to mention the rain and the cold. Pack your bags and go. There’s no means testing or proof of income required, just a valid passport and a trustworthy suitcase.

Traditionally, when the summer holidays are over and the September golfers have left their hotel rooms, there’s a lull in visitors to Spain. The enterprising Spanish authorities, along with the hospitality industry, decided to be pro-active and try to boost the bookings and keep people in employment over the quieter months. They came up with a new scheme to subsidise winter holidays to the Costa del Sol and the Balearics.

When the Spanish Tourism Office in Dublin announced the Travel Senior deals in October, after negotiations with more than a dozen travel agencies in the country, no one knew what the take up was likely to be. The scheme is a joint initiative between a section of the European Union social tourism programme, the Spanish government, and the communities of Andalusia and the Balearic Islands. It is dependent on direct flights to the destinations and, in the case of the Irish, those flights are with Aer Lingus.

The winter breaks are open to over-55s in Ireland – although in some of the other 16 participating countries the age is 65.

Lots included
There are no long lists to be ticked off to see if you are eligible. You can also bring an accompanying adult, who might be younger than your 55 or more years. The deal includes flights to Malaga from Dublin, Cork or Shannon (with one checked-in bag included), transport between the airport and your hotel, full board in a selection of four-star hotels and wine with your meals. There are even tours and entertainment included too. A week works out at €365, two weeks €524, three weeks €700 and you can go for a month for €855.

In demand
Both the Spanish Tourism Office in Dublin and the travel agents have been astonished by the demand. The wily Irish, it seems, have been the biggest group of European clients heading south to escape for a bit. John Galligan Travel is just one of the Irish agents arranging these great seasonal migration packages. Galligan says: “The savings are considerable. If you were to book these holidays independently, a comparable week could work out at around €699 – and you wouldn’t have the safety net if anything should go wrong. We knew it was a great deal but we never imagined that it would be this popular. In just a few weeks, thousands have booked with us all and can you blame them?”

The idea of escaping the air of doom and gloom that has descended on this country since the clocks changed makes these trips sound very appealing. Don’t expect blazing sunshine but you will get blue skies, broaden your horizons, make new friends and probably spend far less there than your heating and food would cost if you stayed at home.

Time’s running out
There’s still time to book but don’t leave it too long. Once all the flights are filled, the offer, which runs until April, will close. Depending on the success of the scheme, it is expected that other countries may adopt it in the coming years. Watch this space!