Tui resumed package holiday operations from Germany to Mallorca on Thursday with the first 21 tourists checking in for a week’s break on the island. Tui announced earlier this month that it planned to restart flights from Germany to Palma from October 15, having ceased operations in mid-August after the German government advised against travel to Spain and the Balearics.
The Riu Festival Hotel in Playa de Palma and Club Robinson in Cala d’Or have signed up to the latest scheme to try and get some low-season tourism moving and over the coming months, Tui plans to gradually increase the number of passengers during the winter until the 2021 season kicks off in earnest.
Tui decided to launch the programme on Thursday in order to coincide with school holidays in Germany. More tourists, the majority being families, are booked to arrive over the coming days.
The tour operator is not using the TuiFly airline but will be sharing flights with other German tour operators in order to optimise costs.
But the number of flights remains unknown, as this will “depend on demand” over the next few weeks.
Riu, which is a Tui shareholder, says that if there are the sales, they will reopen the Riu Playa Park or Riu Bravo hotels in Playa de Palma.
Eurowings and Lufthansa will be among the airlines.