Inflationary pressures are leading to demands by Mallorca's hoteliers for tour operators to increase the price of packages by between ten and fifteen per cent in 2023.
The travel associations in the UK and Germany, ABTA and DRV, are highly critical of price increases envisaged by hoteliers for the contracting of hotel beds; they describe them as "exorbitant". Individual tour operators are meanwhile in intense negotiations for next summer's prices.
The hoteliers' view is that they have no choice but to raise prices. This isn't in order to boost financial performance; simply to maintain it. While tour operators say that this will make Mallorca (and the rest of the Balearics) more expensive by comparison with competitor destinations, they are also aware that these competitors face much the same pressures.
ABTA and DRV are forecasting that the average length of stay of in 2023 will be reduced because of higher prices - going down from an average of six nights to four or five.
It isn't just the hoteliers who have to contend with rising costs. So also do the airlines, who are predicting increases of 20%.
For some weeks, there has been much discussion about what will happen after this summer. Spain's national confederation of hotels has said that this summer should be "enjoyed", as there are concerns about what will follow. This isn't so much about this winter, especially in respect of Mallorca, given the comparatively low level of tourism, but more about summer 2023. The discussion has not only had to to do with prices but also with ongoing difficulties regarding staff shortages.