The British have been enjoying the festive holidays in Mallorca and across Spain.

The British have been enjoying the festive holidays in Mallorca and across Spain. | Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter

Humphrey CarterPalma06/01/2025 10:07
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Holiday bookings to the Balearics increased by 105.1% in the last week compared to the previous week, and have risen by 42.8% compared to the same time last year, according to data from the TravelgateX booking platform. The Balearics has been the fifth most popular destination in Spain for the week of 30 December to 6 January, with 11.4% of total bookings, behind the Canary Islands (22.2%), Andalusia (17.5%), Catalonia (17.2%) and almost tied with the Valencian Community (11.5%).

Bookings made 90 days in advance predominated, with 43.5 % of the total, and a remarkable 10.9 % were so-called ‘last minute’ bookings because they were made on the same day or the day before departure. 12.5% booked between 31 and 60 days in advance of travel. Of the bookings recorded in the last 7 days in Spain, 58.5% were made by couples and 48.7% of travellers booked for between 2 and 5 nights, according to TravelgateX.

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Among the main nationalities that have made bookings during the last 7 days through TravelgateX, the British stand out with 38.4% of the bookings, followed by the Spanish, who have made 35%. At a distance are Germans with 4.2% and Americans with 3.1% of total bookings.

Looking ahead to the summer, and now Sunshine Saturday has passed, the first big booking day of the year in the UK, a survey by travel insurance provider Staysure has revealed that 88% of UK travellers are contemplating changes to their summer holiday destinations, with increased costs (32%), overtourism (23%) and extreme temperatures (22%) cited as the primary concerns.

Despite Southern European destinations such as Croatia, Greece, Italy, Spain and the South of France remaining popular with 38% of overseas travellers - primarily due to climate (68%), culture and food (55%), and scenery (48%) - the research suggests a shifting pattern in holiday preferences.