BALEARICS – The Balearic Islands in Spain are already more popular for summer 2022 than for this coming autumn. Although, after good months in July and August, the forecasts for the coming months are pessimistic. However, Spain did put itself on the global map in August.
Big data company Dingus Datahotel collaborated with the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises in Mallorca (PIMEM) on the report on tourism in the Spanish islands. The purpose of this is to look back on the past summer and to make forecasts for tourism in the coming year.
Summer months positive for Balearic Islands
At the beginning of this summer, Dingus predicted that hotel occupancy would exceed the 50 percent occupancy of the summer of 2019. With an average occupancy of more than 57%, this prediction came true. July and August were good months for the Balearic Islands. Up to and including the last week of August, there was 96% more overnight stays in Menorca than in the summer of 2019. In Ibiza, the percentage was 76.6% and in Mallorca at 54.4%.
Two Spanish airports in top 10 world´s busiest airports
The statistics of airports with the most international traffic show that August has been a good month. The OAG.com website tracks traffic at all airports in the world. Two airports in Spain were included in the top 10 busiest airports in the world last month. Madrid-Barajas (more than 1.3 million passengers) is in eighth place and Palma de Mallorca (more than 1.2 million passengers) is in ninth place of airports with the most international traffic. The full top 10 can be seen on the Hosteltur.com website.
Fall forecasts far from optimistic
As previously predicted by the Spanish hotel association CEHAT, the current forecasts for September, October, and November do not show a good end to the season. Although many last-minute trips are currently being booked for September, Dingus expects hardly any tourists on the islands for November. The revival of the virus in November 2020 would be the main cause of this.
What is striking is the increase in bookings for couples to the Balearic Islands. The number of families that normally visit the islands in the autumn has decreased. This is most likely due to the travel measures for unvaccinated children up to 12 years of age.
Advice to focus on Spanish tourist
From the conclusions of the report on tourism, PIMEM concludes that the islands should adapt the current tourism model and focus more on domestic tourism in addition to German and British tourists. Many Germans and British book the Canary Islands as an ideal winter holiday. Because the Balearic Islands were able to welcome many Spaniards last summer, according to the business organization it would be wise to focus more on the Spanish target group.
