The change to the tourist model of Magalluf and therefore the changing image of the resort will be reinforced in 2017 when the first five-star hotel opens. Sebastián Darder of the hoteliers' association has announced that Viva Hotels will be opening the Viva Zafiro Palmanova & Spa on the Avenida Saboners (which it can be argued is probably more Torrenova). It is scheduled to open its doors on 2 June.
There will also be a new four-star plus hotel in the Palmanova-Magalluf zone for 2017, while fourteen other hotels are to be renovated over the winter. The various hotels in the the four-star, four-star plus and now five-star categories will together provide 60% of the zone's hotel places.
While this is one example of the resort's upgrading, the bookings in 2016 reflect this as well. There has been a rise in family tourism (up 2.4%) and reservations by couples (an increase of 0.83%). These two groups now account for 72.3% of hotels' clientele. By contrast, the youth and student segment - one that comes to Magalluf for its nightlife - is down this year by 2.8%. This decline is evidence also of a lowering in the dependence on British tourists and of market diversification, with Scandinavian and Russian tourism increasing.