What a great Saturday for the US Marines in Mallorca. The sun was shining as many enjoyed the rays and the buzz of the beach club in front of the convention centre with their office moored off in the Bay of Palma. The beers were flowing, the music was playing, the food was flying and everyone having a great time.
The financial impact of the arrival in Palma of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the most powerful nuclear aircraft carrier in the world, is already being felt by Palma’s restaurant sector. Bars and restaurants in certain areas have noticed an increase in activity coinciding with the arrival of US marines, who are taking advantage of their stay to enjoy the city and its gastronomic offerings.
The president of Restauración Mallorca CAEB, Juanmi Ferrer, said that the impact is particularly noticeable in some areas such as the city centre and Playa de Palma. ‘You can tell, yes. They’ve come in good spirits and seem happy to be ashore, at least in the city centre and Playa de Palma,’ he said.
Ferrer points out, however, that the effect is not widespread. ‘It’s not that it’s widespread, but rather in the sporadic places where they happen to be,’ he said, pointing out that ‘many establishments have not noticed it and will not notice it, but in others the difference is noticeable in today’s takings.’
The restaurant representative also highlighted the ‘good profile of American visitors’, who are having a positive impact. “Americans are good customers and grateful. So far, so good,” said Ferrer, satisfied with the behaviour of the marines in local establishments.
Meanwhile, Palma’s businesses are waiting to see what happens. Sources in the sector point out that it is still too early to assess whether the arrival of the aircraft carrier will have a significant impact on sales, although they are confident that the movement of thousands of crew members will also boost consumption in the city centre’s shops.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, with a crew of 4,500, will remain in the Bay of Palma until next Wednesday. Ford was last in the Mediterranean Sea in mid-August and transited the Gibraltar Strait on Aug. 13, USNI News previously reported. Since then, the carrier has been in the waters near the United Kingdom and in the Norwegian Sea.
In late September, the carrier joined with NATO allies for the third iteration of Neptune Strike 2025 in the North Sea, USNI News previously reported. During the exercise, NATO took command of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. The second iteration of the exercise, in which the carrier strike group also participated, was in the Med between July 24 to Aug. 1.