Balearic hotels have closed on contracts for summer 2017 with German, British and Scandinavian tour operators. These include price rises of up to 15%, the reason for this being, as is very familiar, the high demand that is currently coming the Balearics way. Hotel associations in Alcudia, Cala Millor, Palmanova-Magalluf, Playa de Palma and Pollensa are, though, also saying that the price rises are being achieved because of renovations and increased star ratings over the past two years: ones that have been called for by the tour operators.
The tour operators, in turn, have been bidding for the best hotels, as the better the product then the higher the price to be charged. Hotel chains, not surprisingly, say that profits in 2017 will be greater than this year. Occupancy is expected to be much the same as this year in 2017, but profit, thanks to the price increases, will be the best for the past ten years.
The hoteliers add that the tour operators are working on the assumption that Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey will not recover over the next twelve months from the negative consequences of terrorism. European tourists, meanwhile, will be wanting safe destinations, meaning that the Balearics will continue to benefit.
Not all hotels will experience such high increases in prices. There will be those which only get around 4% more, and that's because the hotels haven't been renovated. But be the increase 4% or 15%, tour operators find themselves having to take the higher prices for fear of otherwise being without beds to sell in 2017.