Beach in Mallorca

A decrease in tour operator bookings since 2018. | Archive

Andrew EdePalma27/09/2022 16:27
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The Mallorca Hoteliers Federation has been among tourism industry sources that have highlighted the increase in last-minute bookings, a trend that can make planning more difficult but one that, as the federation has stressed, the industry needs to get used to.

A study by the University of the Balearic Islands and the University of Bologna confirms this trend and a changing pattern of holiday bookings. Using weekly reservation data for 300 hotels in the Balearics between 2018 and 2021, the study shows that only 10.8% of bookings were made eight days or under before arrival. In 2021, this was up to 20%. For bookings between eight and thirty days in advance of travel, these were 19.1% in 2018 and 33% in 2021.

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There has also been a shift in terms of how holidays are being booked. In 2018, 43.5% were with a tour operator and 37.8% were online. By 2021, the respective figures were 38.7% and 54%.

The pandemic was significant in that, and unsurprisingly so, last-minute bookings shot up. While the study doesn't extend into 2022, it has been acknowledged that the trend hasn't really gone into reverse.