Availability of seats for US tourists travelling to Mallorca this summer is increasing significantly. Airline demand forecasts project a 40% growth compared to the same months last year. According to the international consultancy Mabrian, which specialises in Big Data and tourism trends and supplies information to the regional government (Govern), the US is one of the fastest-growing emerging markets this year. Mabrian highlights the upward trend among American travellers, a rise in demand that contrasts with the decline in the opposite direction: Trump-era policies have sparked a backlash in the European market, leading to a drop in bookings to visit the US.
The latest figures exceed the projections made by Turespaña in April, which forecast an 11% rise in US bookings to the Balearic Islands as a whole. The lead time for bookings is shortening considerably, and Turespaña had already warned that figures could continue to rise as summer approaches. Mabrian echoes this view, noting that more time is needed to gather robust data that would confirm this surge in US travel to Mallorca. In any case, both the island and the rest of the Balearic archipelago are already showing a notable level of appeal in this market compared to other Spanish regions, many of which are expected to see a decline.
It’s worth noting that United Airlines’ direct Palma–New York route only accounts for a small portion of the nearly 300,000 American tourists who visit the islands annually. However, the extension of frequencies and the length of the operating season—alongside the use of larger aircraft—clearly signals increasing demand for Mallorca. In total, 278,640 US travellers arrived in the Balearics in 2024, representing a 20.3% increase on 2023, according to Turespaña estimates based on microdata from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE). The US is the eleventh-largest source market in terms of arrivals, and the leading non-European one. In terms of total tourist expenditure, however, it ranks sixth, with €694 million in 2024. This makes it the most profitable source market in terms of spend per visitor. The American traveller profile is therefore perfectly aligned with the regional government and hotel sector’s goal of attracting higher-spending visitors.
Meanwhile, the steady rise in arrivals and spending since the end of the pandemic has allowed prices to continue climbing. Mabrian estimates that hotel prices in Mallorca will increase by 7.8% between June and September compared to the same period last year. Not all categories are seeing the same growth: three-star hotels are expected to raise prices by up to 8.7%, while four- and five-star establishments are forecast to see increases of around 7%.
The issue of rising hotel prices is key when analysing customer satisfaction levels. Mallorca’s customer ratings are higher than the national average. Within the Balearic ecosystem, it is the higher-category hotels that receive the best scores for value for money. In contrast, three-star hotels tend to receive more negative ratings. Overall, and despite the Balearic Islands leading in terms of customer satisfaction, Mabrian warns that data for the upcoming summer season “reveals a significant drop in guest satisfaction across all hotel categories”. The main reason is that expectations inevitably rise in line with increasing prices.
In this context, it is recommended that pricing be adjusted based on guest reviews rather than focusing too heavily on competitor destinations. “Revenue management strategies should go beyond price benchmarking against other Mediterranean destinations and instead consider the perceived value of the guest experience, particularly during peak season.” Mabrian emphasises the need to maintain quality in order to move towards key sustainable tourism goals such as reducing seasonality. “Ensuring high satisfaction not only supports profitability during the high season but also contributes to year-round destination competitiveness and sustained demand.”