Hotel occupancy in Palma in June is higher than that in 2019. This is in part being attributed to cruise tourism, as many passengers are opting to stay a few days in Mallorca before going on their cruises.
Palma is more of a base port for cruises than used to be the case, the president of the Palma-Cala Major hoteliers association, Javier Vich, saying that this is having a positive impact. "In June we have been registering an average occupancy of 90%, compared to 87% in 2019. Many cruise passengers arrive a few days before leaving on their cruises. This helps to explain the three per cent increase."
Ian Livesey, head of TUI operations in the Balearics, Spain and Portugal, observes that Palma has become a base port "of reference" for all cruise operators in the Mediterranean this summer. "Between 20 and 30% of cruise passengers arriving at the airport choose to spend a few days before or after their cruise, which is normally a week."
By agreement with the Balearic government, the number of stopovers per day in Palma is limited to three, but this agreement does allow for four ships on certain days. In July, there are four days - the 2nd, 9th, 16th and 22nd. As from next year there will be no exceptions; the limit every day will be three.