The Mallorca Hoteliers Federation says that 30% of hotels are currently open and forecasts that this will rise to 70% next month and in time for Easter.
In no small part, the opening of the island's hotels in the low season can be attributed to sports and activities tourism, with cycling being the number one attraction. Over recent years, more and more hotels have established facilities to meet the demands of cyclists, while specialist bike shops have opened. Restaurants that might once have stayed shut now open in those parts of Mallorca with particularly high numbers of cycling tourists, e.g. Playa de Palma and Playa de Muro.
The number of cyclists progressively increases from February until the absolute peak is reached with the Mallorca 312 OK Mobility. This cycling challenge will be on April 27 this year. It sold out months ago. Even then, the roads remain busy with cyclists because of the Ironman 70.3 a couple of weeks later.
While hotels, other businesses and local economies benefit from this tourism, not everyone is happy. And so as the cycling season builds up, there will be the familiar complaints from some drivers (and also pedestrians) or from residents because of cyclists relieving themselves where they shouldn't.
But in overall terms, cycling tourism has been a real positive in making Mallorca one of Europe's leading destinations for sports tourism, if not the leading destination.