Martin Makepeace was posted as a holiday rep to Ibiza 35 years ago in 1991 and, despite all his initial reservations, fell in love with the island. He is not only a successful real estate agent, he is also chairman of the British Association of Sant Antoni. “I’m originally from Derby and fancied working a summer season as a rep. I was sent to Ibiza, but not being big on clubs, music and all that I can’t say I was over-enthusiastic over the prospect of spending the summer on the island. But I fell in love with Ibiza and the rest is history,” he told the Bulletin.
This week Martin has been in the local headlines after sending a formal letter to the president of the Council of Ibiza, Vicent Marí, highlighting the “worrying” situation faced by third-country nationals, particularly British nationals, when passing through passport control at Ibiza Airport, even though they hold a Foreign Identity Card (TIE). This is as a result of the new EES Entry/Exit system which is causing problems across Europe.
“My main issue is that if airports such as Palma and Alicante have been able to operate the new system properly, why can’t Ibiza?,” he explained. Fortunately for Martin he has close contacts with local politicians; in 2015 he stood in the local elections for the conservative Partido Popular. “I came very close to being elected but more importantly it was en eyeopener into local politics. It made me realise that unless you represent a certified association, you don’t really have a voice, so I thought it was a good time to create an association - a platform to help the British community in Sant Antoni have a say.
“I was passionate about the British residents and also the welfare of the island, so set up the association. It’s mainly a WhatsApp group and all of the members are also deeply passionate about Ibiza, hence why we are trying to urge the local authorities to take the matter of the airport up with the Spanish airports authority, especially with the start of the season upon us,” Martin explained.
Brexit
“The association is driven by passionate people and we have two ladies, Tricia and Lesley, who have been on the island for many years and really know the score. If they can’t help you, no one can; they are amazing and a blessing to have on board,” he added. “Our members are local businesspeople and residents and, having been in the property business for so long with my company Ibiza Property Shop, I’ve seen the island change and develop.
“One of the biggest changes perhaps is that British residents are spending much more time on the island; there are more year-round residents now. Yes, there was a bit of a drop off after Brexit, but due to the lack of housing and rental properties people are now taking out longer lets. Years ago, the focus was on summer lets and top prices, but now there are hardly any seasonal rentals available so it’s long term - hence why Ibiza is having to confront a similar housing problem and all that comes with it as Mallorca.
"That said, here in Ibiza, we consider Mallorca the ‘big city’ of the Balearics. It is much more mature and probably one of the best holiday destinations in the world. It’s got a great coastline, the infrastructure and a long and well-established tourism history. However, Ibiza has a bit more of an edge to the island because of the world-class nightlife and clubs plus it has its hippy vibe. It’s more rural and rustic and it is the nature which I fell so much in love with and am still deeply protective of today.
“But one has to take into account all four of the Balearic islands. Each one is different, despite being so close together. What an amazing umbrella of islands we live under here in the Balearics, it’s second to none. We have everything one could wish for, but with having so much to offer, so much beauty, it brings problems and challenges. I guess on the one hand the islands are victims of their own success.
“Everyone wants to come here, but the islands are a finite space and therefore certain flows and movements need to be controlled,” he said.
Organic change
Martin, who hosts a weekly podcast called Talking Balearics with Richie Prior in Mallorca, is well aware of the hurdles both islands face. “Richie is always singing the praise of what has been done to change and improve Calvia and Magalluf, for example. And one could say that Sant Antoni and Magalluf are, or were, very similar - both resorts have changed significantly over recent years. However, while a concerted effort was made in Calvia, here in Sant Antoni and Ibiza in general it has been more organic.
“The locals are very savvy and very quick to adapt and change. When we see changes in the market, new travel habits, we respond, plus we’re very good at moving with the money. I guess we witnessed a turning point in the 90s, consolidation in the noughties and then the big bang came in 2010 with the opening of Ushuaïa Ibiza, the world’s number one outdoor club, which has since gone global opening in all the best locations such as Las Vegas or Dubai.
“That also really put Platja d’en Bossa on the map and the island began to start attracting a new clientele. Ibiza became a global brand and we began to see a serious influx of visitors from North America and A-list VIPs and celebrities from all over the world. We quickly learnt that wealthy North Americans will not accept poor service, so we had to up our game. Like I said, Ibizans are very good at moving with the times and the money.
“The island’s tourist industry is still very much dominated by the Spanish and the British but it’s extremely international. While the focus in Magalluf, for example, has been on bringing back family tourism, in Sant Antoni (which has also had its fair share of bad press over the years) has moved for the adult-only market. Many of what were family hotels have moved up a grade and into the adult market - for the Dinkies, double income, no kids or dual income, no kids.
Lessons from Covid
“So that has served to push quality standards up very high, world class. The island is famous for the best clubs in the world, and it’s also got some of the best hotels and restaurants. For four months of the year, the island is buzzing - which is wonderful for such a small island in the Mediterranean - and the quality continues to spike. That’s one of the reasons Ibiza has some of the most expensive properties and hotels in Spain. We’re quietly confident that this summer is going to be a good one.
“That said, one has to remember that it can all be taken away just as quickly as we were given it, so we have to be mindful and that goes for all holiday destinations,” Martin said. “As a result of Covid, we’ve had to overcome serious challenges and problems, we’ve seen how markets can go, so we’ve got to get our heads down while encouraging and helping entrepreneurs to continue coming up with new ideas and concepts.
“Yes, we get a lot of gimmicks on the island, but gimmicks are good, it means that Ibiza has something for everybody. It’s one of the few places where you can watch the sun rise, enjoy lunch at a Michelin star restaurant, spend the afternoon walking around a UNESCO heritage site and then go to one of the best clubs in the world in the evening -that is what makes Ibiza unique,” he highlighted.
Traffic
“There has always been the issue of drugs, but it’s not something we’re focused on. Spain has a more tolerant approach and it’s in the background - it really goes back to 80s and 90s. What we have now is a quality winning product plus spectacular nature which is being increasingly well protected and preserved - as it is across the Balearics. That said, being such a popular destination where everybody either wants to live or visit does have its problems.
“But rather like the British association, the tendency is to be proactive. I remember many years ago raising the issue of traffic with the local authorities. They didn’t take much notice then but they certainly have now. Formentera was the first to introduce vehicle controls and restrictions for non-residents. Ibiza has now followed suit and soon Mallorca and Menorca will be doing the same.
“We’re finite spaces and therefore certain things need to be controlled, and the main one, apart from construction, is traffic. That said, the problem only really reaches its peak during the four busy summer months when hire cars add to traffic congestion.
Anti-tourism
“However, with so many people moving to the islands, more residents mean more cars all year round. And sadly this is part of the resident v. tourism debate. The option for politicians is to blame tourists and that is quite simply because they can’t vote, but that does not and is not solving the problem. The answer is in changing the mindset of residents, the ‘one person, one car’ attitude. And as the island populations grow with wealthier residents, there will be more cars on the roads throughout the year.
“So we need to be trying to educate the standing population and that would also calm the anti-tourism movement. Simply pointing the finger at tourists for the islands’ problems just adds more fuel to the fire,” Martin said. “The housing problem is another serious matter which is having a big impact on the tourist industry and the hospitality sector. Finding good staff who are highly professional is increasingly difficult and expensive.
“Yes, there are plenty of jobs on the mainland, but the wages are much lower than in the Balearics, but so too is the cost of living. This is why during the summer season, there are sadly people, mainly migrants, living in tents on the island, so they can make a good monthly wage and send it home to the family. The problem has got worse as a result of Brexit, when so many young and very talented Britons would come over and work the seasons, and Europe’s open border stance does not help.
“We all want to live in the Balearics, it’s the most amazing place but there isn’t room for everyone and not everyone can afford it, so that has got to be properly addressed. This is a Nirvana place to live but we have to be realistic and sensible,” Martin said. “It’s about being proactive and that is what the association members appreciate. We are all part of a community with our questions, worries and problems but we are all here for each other; it’s great.”