Participants spend some days in Mallorca ahead of both events. There are family members as well. For elite athletes there are support teams. There are those involved with logistics. All these contribute to certain centres on the island being all but full with visitors. In Playa de Muro, the base for the 312, 90% of hotels are open.
Tradition has it that May 1 marks the start of the summer season, but this is no longer the case for much of Mallorca. While there continue to be fewer tourists in April than in May, the gap in numbers has been narrowing. For the Balearics as a whole, in 2023 there were 1.3 million visitors, in May 1.9 million, Mallorca having accounted for the overwhelming majority of the April tourists.
Cycling isn't the only reason, but it is a key reason. For all that there are other sports activities, it has been cycling that has prompted more and more hotels to open earlier, capturing a market that starts modestly (in terms of numbers) with the events towards the end of January and grows from that point on.
And it has been transformational, none more so than in Playa de Muro, where one-time empty units are now dedicated to a type of tourism which Mallorca initially aspired to following the formation of the first tourism ministry 41 years ago and which can now genuinely be viewed as a success.
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These cycling events bring very little to local residents who are inconvienced by the closed roads and the delays caused . We are expected to be so appreciative of these many rude and arrogant and selfish road users. Yes hotels are open and they employ minimal staff the work but only a few other business gain anything from these people. I personally feel the benefits are minimal to a few, mainly hotel owners yet local residents are expected to put up with them like they are royalty.
Many, if not all, will be twiddling their thumbs today. Rotten weather for riding and I doubt many will have brought suitable winter clothing. Brrr. The season might start earlier but no one has told the weather gods that. Not today anyway.