Majorca fares better than Minorca and Ibiza

THE evolution of the tourist season in the Balearics this season is having its ups and downs, depending on the island.
While Majorca is beating last year's figures, with a three per cent increase in occupancy in May and July, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera are showing negative results, according to the hoteliers associations. Formentera in particular, is faring badly, with a 7.6 per cent drop (see graph this page). These figures contrast with the passenger figures at the airports of Son Sant Joan in Palma, Mahon in Minorca and Ibiza, which are showing increases of three to seven per cent. This is much higher than the increases in hotel occupancy.
According to the Majorcan Hotel Federation, Ashome (the Minorcan hoteliers) and the Ibiza-Formentera Hotel Federation, this proves that once again, residential tourism (staying at holiday homes, or with friends) is having repercussions on the hotels. The Majorcan Hotel Federation confirmed that this season is developing better than last year, since, according to its president, Pere Cañellas, occupancy is three per cent higher than last year, “thanks to German and Spanish tourism, which is growing by between eight and ten per cent this summer.” In contrast, Pedro Matutes, president of the Ibiza-Formentera Hotel Federation said that the occupancy in hotels and rented apartments had dropped by 1.23 per cent between May and July compared to last year. The drop in Ibiza was only about 0.1 per cent, but in Formentera, it was 7.6 per cent, which he blamed on a drop in the Italian market.
He added that a drop in the British market had been compensated in part by German and Spanish tourism.
Juan Juanico, the manager of the Minorcan hotel association Ashome, “the situation is very complicated this summer.” He explained that an eight per cent drop in the British market was having a negative effect on holiday homes and rented apartments, but not so much in hotels, where occupancy was only one or two per cent lower than last year. All the hotel associations, and the Balearic government, agree that it is necessary to wait and sea how the situation develops in September, as August has been excellent up to this week. Occupancy in the high season is expected to grow by just one to three per cent, the sources said.