Mallorca is top Christmas destination for Britons says travel organisation

Christmas lights are now shining across Palma, marking the start of the festive season in the Balearic capital. This year’s official switch-on took place on Saturday in Plaza España, after the council decided to move the event from its usual locations on Passeig del Born and Plaza de la Reina. The change drew some criticism at first, but officials said the new site provides more space and improved safety for the large crowds that attend each year. Thousands of people filled the square and surrounding areas, with places such as Plaza de Cort and Plaza del Mercat also hosting activities. Street performers, acrobatic displays and storytelling sessions formed part of a wider programme designed to create a festive atmosphere well before the lights were turned on. The evening began at around 7pm with a visual and musical performance by the Grup TRUI company. Their show, El ball de les dues estrelles, told the story of two sister stars who meet again to perform a waltz guided by a symbolic diamond. A central stage and large LED screen ensured the performance could be followed from different points around the square, attracting particular attention from younger members of the audience. The traditional countdown signalled the approach of the switch-on, accompanied by snow and smoke effects. Two acrobats, a large illuminated diamond and a floating installation known as the Candelabre Galàctic formed part of the staging. As the countdown reached zero, all the Christmas lights across the city were activated at the same moment, coinciding with the finale of the show and a burst of bright confetti. More than 3,300 lighting modules and over 600 kilometres of garlands have been installed across Palma for the 2025 Christmas season. Several areas, including Avinguda Gaspar Bennazar, Carrer Jacint Verdaguer, Son Espanyol and Plaza dels Patins, have received festive lighting for the first time. Other districts, such as Avinguda Comte Sallent, Son Sardina, Can Capiscol, Pere Garau and General Riera, have seen updates to their displays. Traditional favourites, including the large tree in Parc de Ses Estacions and the giant bauble on Passeig Sagrera, also return as the city prepares for the weeks of celebrations ahead.

The warm evening air carried the scent of the sea and the sound of traditional Mallorcan music as more than 350 UK travel professionals gathered in Calvià for the official opening of the ABTA Travel Convention 2025. Hosted by the Balearic Government and Calvià Town Council, the welcome event has set the tone for a week devoted to sustainability, innovation and the enduring partnership between Mallorca and the British travel industry. The evening opened with a spirited performance of folk dance before the Mayor of Calvià extended a heartfelt welcome to delegates, describing the town as “a place where visitors are not strangers, but citizens of our municipality, even if only for a few days.” He emphasised Calvià’s ongoing transformation, highlighting the renovation of the Paseo Marítimo in Palmanova as part of a wider €42 billion investment plan.“With the consensus of residents, businesses and government, ” he said, “we aim to consolidate a model of quality tourism that benefits both our community and our guests. You, as citizens of Calvià for a few days, will be our best ambassadors. Welcome home.” Next to take the stage was Marcial Rodríguez, Executive Councillor for Tourism at the Island Council of Mallorca, who spoke of the island’s deep connection with British travellers. “This is not just another event, ” he said. “Mallorca is the only destination to have hosted the ABTA Convention in every decade since the 1970s — a reflection of mutual trust and affection. ” Rodríguez noted that more than 2.3 million British visitors had travelled to Mallorca in 2024, a figure expected to hold steady through 2025. He described the ABTA Convention’s return to the island as a strong endorsement of the island council’s policy on responsible tourism, a philosophy he defined as “the horizon we set ourselves, to ensure the harmonious coexistence of visitors and residents. ” The Balearic Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Iago Negueruela, followed with praise for Calvià’s balance of sea, culture and nature, describing it as “a unique setting where sustainability and authenticity go hand in hand. ”He called on delegates to champion tourism that “unites cultures, promotes inclusion, and fosters genuine prosperity.” Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez, offered a broader national perspective, and a personal one, as a Mallorcan herself. “It is both a professional and a personal honour to welcome you home to Mallorca, ” she said, before highlighting the UK as Spain’s largest source market, contributing 18.4 million British visitors and over €22 billion in 2024 alone. Sánchez outlined Spain’s Tourism 2030 Strategy, to be launched next month, which will guide the country’s transition toward a more sustainable tourism model. Central to that plan, she announced, will be a long-term collaboration between Turespaña and ABTA, focusing on best practices, data sharing and measuring tourism’s social and environmental impact. “Our goal,” she said, “is to ensure that tourism continues to thrive, creating value for future generations while protecting our communities and natural heritage. ” The final remarks came from Eduardo Gamero, President of Foment del Turisme de Mallorca, who marked ABTA’s 75th anniversary and Foment’s own 120th year by presenting delegates with a vintage travel poster from the 1950s, part of the Majorca Vintage Collection, as a token of friendship. “From the first ABTA Convention in 1973 to today,” Gamero said, “the British market has been essential to our island’s story. We hope to welcome you again, perhaps in another ten years’ time. ” With speeches concluded, guests were guided along the waterfront to Nikki Beach, where the Spanish Tourist Office hosted the official welcome party. There, under palm trees and starlight, conversation flowed easily between British agents, tour operators and Mallorcan hosts, a fitting start to a convention dedicated to collaboration, sustainability, and the shared future of travel.