An unusual holiday season. At the start of the year the Balearic government was telling anyone that would listen that it would be a record season, probably one of the best ever. Fast forward the clock and the reality is that it has been a season when the islands welcomed a record number of tourists but their spending power has been low, according to initial estimates. It was also a holiday season which saw the first backlash against tourism, with minor protests taking place in Palma. British tourism will have dropped this season, the fall in the value of sterling has made the Balearics an expensive holiday destination for some. I suspect that this will be a trend which will continue over the coming months, especially as Turkey and other competing resorts offer great value for money.
So rather than being a record season, perhaps it has been a season of change. There is the constant talk on the island at the moment of there being too many tourists; fewer wanted with a higher spending power. This is obviously just a dream because it would involve changing the tourist industry from root to branch. So summer 2017 will not have been the season many thought it was going to be. It has been different. Probably enough money will have been made to keep the Balearics in business but there is reason for concern. Work needs to be done to ensure that the islands offer value for money and all tourists receive a warm welcome.