Majorca’s main hotel chains have decided to open most of their establishments this month due to increased demand, a rise in passenger numbers at Son Sant Joan Airport and good forecasts for the second half of July.
The Grupotel chain is reopening the biggest number of hotels in a clear commitment to the progressive recovery of tourist activity over the rest of the summer season.
“We are opening 4 hotels in Can Picafort, 2 in Platja de Palma, 2 more in Platja de Muro and 1 in Peguera and the average occupation in the first week of July ranges between 20%-40%,” said Margalida Ramis, Grupotel's General Manager.
The chain is also opening the Playa Club in Minorca on Sunday, the Grupotel Cala San Vicente on Saturday and the Grupotel Ibiza Beach Resort within the next 7 days.
Hipotels is opening four 5-star Hotels in Cala Millor and one in Platja de Palma.
“We will have a total of 826 rooms available in July, with an average occupancy of more than 44% and depending on how demand evolves, we may decide to open more,” said a Hipotels spokesperson.
Gabriel Llobera, CEO of Garden Hotels and President of the Balearic Hotel Chain Association, or ACH confirmed that "4 of our 11 hotels are open, but that may change as the flow of passengers is restored at Son Sant Joan Airport and tourists start arriving from the UK and Germany,” said . “Each company makes its own decisions according to its interests, but it's clear that if the tourist revival continues, an increasing number of hotels will open, which will benefit the workers and the Island's economy."
Other hotel chains, such as Iberostar, Viva, Barceló, Riu and Meliá, have also started opening their establishments and occupancy levels in the first week range from 20%-30%.
FEHM
"Companies must make calculations in the face of demand," said Maria Frontera, President of the Hotel Business Federation of Mallorca, or FEHM. "We know that this season will be difficult, that fewer hotels will be open and that occupation will be low due to a sum of factors, but if the conditions are met, every entrepreneur has the will to keep the business running and generate economic activity and employment,” she added.
Traffic at Son Sant Joan Airport in Palma is expected to grow progressively from July 10 until October.