Related news: Mallorca tourism: Price concerns, but 2025 demand in line with 2024

The start of a new year, and is always the case there are the forecasts and expectations for the tourism season in Mallorca and the Balearics .

With 2024 predicted to have closed with an increase in total tourist numbers in the Balearics of around 900,000 (up to 18.75 million), will 2025 see a further rise, a levelling-off or a fall? If it's the latter, account should perhaps be taken of the extraordinary rise in numbers since before the pandemic - 1.3 million more in 2023, 2.2 million more in 2024.

The Mallorca Hoteliers Federation believes that this year will be much the same as 2024. As ever with the federation, it points to potential complications, e.g. a volatile geopolitical situation and possible recession in European markets. But it highlighted these ahead of 2024, concerns about the economic situation in Germany having been completely misplaced. For most months up to November, the last month for which figures are available, the German market increased by 11-12% . This year's German complication, other than the economy, is the upcoming election.

Regardless of these issues, the federation's vice-president, María José Aguiló, says: " Travelling continues to be a priority and this is why we think that demand (for Mallorca) will continue."

The president of the Aviba association of travel agencies, Pedro Fiol, believes that the season will be "very good". However, he is concerned about prices, an additional element in 2025 being the use of sustainable air fuel in Spain. Airlines reckon this will cost them 234 million euros, hence why the airlines association is looking for a subsidy from the government. If not, the use of the fuel will be reflected in the price of tickets - up they will go.

"It is clear that the price of tickets will become more expensive," says Fiol, but he doesn't think this will shrink demand. If anything, he anticipates an increase, noting that for the low season to the start of April a record number of airline seats have been programmed. Airline planning for the main season won't be known for a few weeks.

In general terms, Fiol wonders how long there will be capacity to continue offering the type of prices now being charged for travel and accommodation. He believes that 2025 will be "the last year with this approach (of ever higher prices ) to tourism supply".

There have been voices in the tourism industry who have questioned the upward trend in prices. Most prominent has been the CEO of Riu Hotels & Resorts, Luis Riu. In an interview a few weeks ago, he said of 2025: "Either we all lower prices or people will not come next year." There again, the Riu group foresee an average price increase in line with 2024 - five per cent - and their bookings are currently higher than they were in either 2023 or 2024. Spain's national tourism institute, Turespaña, expects price increases to moderate in 2025.

Further "complications" might be said to be the ETIAS system for the British, the traveller registration system (which could yet be modified), a higher rate of tourist tax between June and August; this has still to be confirmed. Otherwise, it's the same procedure as every year. Forecasts are made, opinions are expressed, there are warnings or there is optimism. When it comes to forecasting, you pays your money, you takes your choice, though if Pedro Fiol is to be believed, 2025 will be the last year when you pays so much.

Playing down expectations - Mallorca's 2025 tourism season

Mallorca hoteliers recognise that tourists have had less money to spend this summer

Despite concerns about prices, Mallorca tourism demand in 2025 expected to be at least as high as 2024

Playing down expectations - Mallorca's 2025 tourism season

Mallorca hoteliers recognise that tourists have had less money to spend this summer