Mallorca’s beaches and hotels are full, but many local businesses say visitors are spending less once they arrive. Official statistics show tourist spending at record levels, yet restaurants, transport firms and rental owners describe a more cautious summer.
What business leaders are saying
Travel agencies. Pedro Fiol, of the travel agency association Aviba, says the headline figures can be misleading: “Although statistics show us that spending is higher, we must take into account that travel infrastructure has become more expensive and travellers are spending less in their destination.” In other words, more of each holiday budget goes on flights and accommodation, and less on meals, shopping and excursions.
Restaurants. Juanmi Ferrer, of the CAEB restaurant association, says July started worse than expected, with both the average bill and the number of meals served down.
Transport. Rafel Roig, of the transport federation, puts it bluntly: “This July is proving to be quite bad.” He says holidays have become much shorter: “Before, they would come for up to 15 days; now they might stay for only five.” Many visitors hire a car and try to see the whole island in a few days.
Hotels. María José Aguiló, of the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation, describes a sense of stability, with bookings only slightly below last year but revenue improving.
Villas and rentals. Miguel Cifre, of Mallorca Villas, says it is “not a bad season”, although customers are not abundant. Toni Barceló, of the Habtur holiday rentals association, describes a slower-than-usual start but expects the year to end close to last year’s figures.
Why the numbers don’t match the mood
Several trends combine to explain the gap:
- Higher fixed costs. Flights, ferries and hotels have all become more expensive, which pushes up total spending per visitor.
- Less left over. After paying for travel and accommodation, tourists have less to spend in bars, restaurants and shops.
- Shorter stays. A five-day trip generates far fewer restaurant meals and excursions than a fortnight.
- Late bookings. Many visitors now book at the last minute, which makes planning harder for businesses.
German visitors return
There is one encouraging sign. Official figures for May showed a 10% rise in German visitors compared with the same month last year, ending a year-long decline. Data for July and August will not be published until the autumn, but the industry hopes the recovery in Mallorca’s biggest market will continue through the summer.
