An unsettled start to the year holiday bookings wise. | Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter

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Holiday bookings to the Balearics fell by 4.3% over the past week compared to the previous week, but have increased by 19.8% compared to the same period last year, according to data published on Monday by the booking platform TravelgateX. The Balearics was the fourth most popular destination in Spain over the past week, with 11.9% of total bookings, behind Andalusia (19.7%), Catalonia (16.8%) and the Canary Islands (14.9%).

The majority of bookings were made 90 days in advance, accounting for 33.6% of the total, and 10.5% were so-called ‘last-minute’ bookings because they were made on the same day or the day before travelling. Some 12.5% booked between 31 and 60 days in advance of their trip and 11.7% between two and three months in advance.

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Of the bookings registered over the last seven days in Spain, 50.9% were made by couples, with 22.9% of bookings for solo travel, and 48.5% of travellers booking for between 2 and 5 nights, according to TravelgateX. Among the main nationalities to have made reservations over the last 7 days through TravelgateX, Spaniards stand out with a 51.3% share of the market, followed by the British (20.6%), Germans (4%) and North Americans (3.8%).

The introduction of biometric data collection, the new tourist taxes, and the ongoing concerns regarding overtourism are reshaping how tourists experience destinations like the Balearics. These changes will likely drive demand for more sustainable travel options and promote less crowded, off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Tourists will need to prepare for more paperwork and higher costs associated with visiting major European destinations. Travelers may find themselves reconsidering where they go based on rising fees and new entry requirements, potentially shifting demand to less-visited regions or countries that do not impose such measures.