Karolina Parys runs Spedition Wurzer, a removals firm that has been operating between Germany and Mallorca for thirty years. She points to a change in the profile. "The classic emigrants no longer exist. More and more wealthy and less risk-averse people are settling on the island, all with a plan." Contrary to some indications, she believes that Mallorca is experiencing a German boom.
A report a week ago pointed to a German exodus. Like Spaniards and indeed other nationals, they were moving to the mainland (or back home) because they can no longer afford to live in Mallorca. Doris Kirch, who advises on paperwork matters, was one of the people quoted in that report. "Return emigration is usually quiet and silent because many people feel that they have failed. The number of unreported cases is certainly high." Yet Doris Kirch also says: "This January has been the best month of my life. I wonder where are they all coming from? And where are they all going?"
The change of profile can explain the current emigration and return emigration. The German market is the largest of the island's foreign-buying market. The purchasing continues unabated. Doris Kirch's clients include "many very wealthy people". But wealth alone doesn't explain the emigration. For example, Karolina Parys highlights employees who work remotely.
Gabriele Fritsch, founder and director of the German School in Playa de Palma, says: "More and more native German speakers are leaving their home country. The influx has increased in recent years, and the trend continues to rise. Our students' parents usually work from anywhere, and many of them have been able to do so from home since the pandemic. Many of them have companies in Germany that support them and their families live on the island. There are also those who commute daily."
Like Doris Kirch, Jutta Upmann is a service provider. She notes that there are wealthy individuals, but believes that most are "fleeing the climate in Germany and hoping for better living conditions". And influencers are increasingly significant in this regard. Instagram and TikTok are full of images that show much the same thing - the island idyll. In Germany, Mallorca has long been referred to as 'the paradise island', and social media reinforces this long-held perception with photos and videos highlighting (as examples) turquoise water, bright sunshine, sushi platters and brunch dishes decorated with flowers, perfectly coiffed people strolling along the sand of picturesque bays, toasting each other and visiting quaint villages.
Lea Ollhorn from Hamburg has an Instagram account 'Lea Lifestyle'. "I show my everyday life on the island, restaurants, beaches, fashion, and lifestyle. Half of my followers are motivated and inspired by my content and often ask my opinion on their emigration."
She also gets negative comments, e.g. "The island is so crowded because of you!" To these she responds: "There are many places in the world that are crowded, the question is more about how to manage it. That's why I applaud measures being taken on the island." She takes her role as an influencer seriously - "I'm aware that I influence people" - and believes that influencers such as herself are contributing to the apparent boom. Mallorca, in her view, is being given the opportunity to move away from the Ballermann cliché, that of the Playa de Palma beer garden and excessive drinking. "We're whetting people's appetite for the real Mallorca: a lot of joie de vivre and a high quality of life."
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