The economic impact of holiday rentals will be greater than ever this summer, according to forecasts by websites and the rentals' association Aptur. Supermarkets, for instance, are anticipating a 20% increase in business volume, and these are not the only businesses which benefit. So also do bars and restaurants, other shops and car-rental agencies.
The president of Aptur, Juan Estarellas, says that holiday rental demand has grown by 60% in the past two years and will be up by more than 20% this year. Hence there will be the benefits to various businesses.
Other beneficiaries include distributors and shipping companies. The association for the distribution of food, drink and cleaning products anticipates a 5% growth in business in 2017, noting that increased business in the past two years has matched the additional numbers of arrivals at the airport. Its prediction of 5% is based on orders being received from the wholesale and retail sector, the complementary sector (e.g. restaurants) and also hotels. Orders from the latter, suggests Tolo Servera, the president of the association, are up by 10%.
There are more than 1,600 lorries for distribution in Majorca to which can be added the 1,000 belonging to retailers which have headquarters on the mainland.
Baleària and Trasmediterránea both announced at the recent Fitur international tourism fair that they will be adding capacity to their ships heading from the mainland to the Balearics. The president of Baleària, Adolfo Utor, says that the company has been experiencing years of maximum growth but is still able to respond to ever greater demand. "Supply to the islands is guaranteed."
From March, Trasmediterránea will be adding capacity to its services from Barcelona and Valencia to Palma.