Since the pandemic, family tourism in the Balearics has accounted for a third of foreign tourism spending - €6 billion per year. This spending places the islands second in Spain behind the Canaries in terms of generating the most revenue from this segment.
And it is spending that is leading the tourism industry to focus a summer tourism strategy on a market segment, a very significant segment, that can be particularly affected by rising travel costs.
According to a recent study by Turespaña, Spain's tourism institute, foreign families spent an average of just over €6 billion in each of the three years from 2023 to 2025. As for actual tourist numbers, family tourists represented an average of 4.7 million per annum, more than a quarter of the annual totals across the whole of the Balearics.
This is a strategically important segment, characterised by longer stays than others, with a greater affinity for package holidays and a strong loyalty to Mallorca and the Balearics as destinations. It is one that prioritises sun and beach more than other market segments and is also much more seasonal, obviously so because of school holidays.
The tourism industry is aware that if the war in the Middle East continues, the rising cost of fuel will drive up the costs of holidays. This could well influence tourists' decisions and reshape the peak season. Families may opt for staycations instead or forego holidays altogether.
The Exceltur alliance of leading tourism and travel companies has warned that a second wave of financial impact could offset growth anticipated for March to June. The French and German markets are said to be of particular concern in this regard.
Given this, Pedro Fiol of the Aviba travel agencies association is one who is advocating a stronger relationship with the family tourism segment. He says that the islands offer a much more developed range of family-oriented tourism than other competing destinations. This is an advantage that should be leveraged this season. "We need to incentivise tourism with children, perhaps with discounts and offers that will lead them to continue choosing us over other destinations this summer."
María José Aguiló, vice-president of the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation, emphasises that "Mallorca has a strong connection to family tourism, especially international tourism". "Families always prioritise budget control and safety, and Mallorca excels in both areas, giving it a solid position. Based on the data we have at the moment, we generally don't see a substitution of foreign travel for holidays at home, but rather a European demand that continues to travel to destinations that inspire confidence."