The Easter holidays are in full swing and the best part of 90 per cent of the hotels in Mallorca are open and looking ahead to the holiday season in general. The vice president of the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation (FEHM), María José Aguiló, told the Bulletin this week that the forecast is very similar to 2024.
“Mallorca is not only an international holiday destination it’s a global brand respected around the world for the variety and high quality of services and products provided, which are second to none. Yes, we’re always keeping an eye on other destinations, but they can’t really compete with the experience, know-how and infrastructure Mallorca offers in addition to the activities in a privileged environmental setting so close to all major European cities and now with direct flights to the United States,” she said.
Wide range of interests
“It is the wide range of interests and events which take place throughout the year which is enabling hotels to stay open longer and attract visitors, be they domestic or foreign, in the low-season months. This is helping to ease the pressure on the traditional peak summer period,” Aguiló explained.
“We welcome tourists, of course we do, and they need to be looked after well and that is what Mallorca is a world leader at doing. Furthermore, the overall profile of tourists coming to Mallorca is changing, just as consumer habits are across the globe.
“Tourists may be coming for shorter periods and for a host of different reasons but they are coming more often because people aspire to have a holiday, or rather a number of holidays a year nowadays. So people will come to Mallorca a number of times a year and in various seasons. That is good for the industry, our members and the local economy which depends on tourism.
Tourist tax
“This income spread out more through the year enables the sector, be it the hotels or the complementary sector, to invest in upgrading and improving the already high standards offered. That is what sets Mallorca apart from other destinations,” she said. “And we welcome the decision not to increase the tourist tax because there has been a lack of transparency with regard to what it has been and is being spent on. We’re all in the same shoes. Mallorcan residents have to pay the tax as do all domestic tourists, but we want to know where the money is going. If we are informed better, there would be less rejection of the levy.
“If we knew it was being used to improve and protect museums, the heritage, nature parks, the environment and the beaches, for example, then we’d welcome the investment, But no one likes extra taxes, especially if we are under the impression they are just inflating the public coffers and not directly benefiting the person paying.
“But, as I said, the profile of the majority of tourists is changing. Apart from having dreamt of their holiday in Mallorca for months, they want to relax, visit the island. They want to be treated well while we see them showing more respect for our environment and culture. After all, we here in Mallorca travel, so what do we do when we go on holiday? We all want the same thing or better when we go away and that is what the Mallorcan hotel sector is continually working on. This is one of the reasons generations of families have been returning to Mallorca for decades,” Aguiló stated.
Competing destinations
“Other destinations can do what they think best but here we focus more on what we do and make sure that we do it better, which we do. The sheer fact that some of the most prestigious hotel brands are moving into the Mallorca hotel market is proof that the island is a first-class destination and has a flourishing future, although we do appear to have hit a bit of a problem at the moment. That is housing, a crisis which is not alien to Mallorca but is a serious matter which cities and countries are having to address across the world; it’s not just Mallorca and it’s not because of tourism.
No magic button
“The authorities need to not only find a balance but also put some clear daylight between the tourist industry and the housing sector. The housing problem has been brewing for the past 20 years and there’s no magic button which can be pressed to solve it; it’s going to take time. Those responsible need to command charge of the matter and deal with it and not cloud the issue.
“It’s a shame that the protests have transmitted the wrong message but, at the end of the day, it’s the tourist’s perception once they are in Mallorca. And on the whole, it is a good one.
“So we all need to work on communicating a positive message and what is not helping is the illegal rental sector. The main concern is that the illegal market does not offer any guarantee to the consumer.
‘What began as the sharing economy has ended in a housing emergency,’ Aguiló said. Illegal tourism offers “no guarantee with respect to regulated tourism. The legal regulated sector creates jobs and complies with more than 300 regulations on health, cybersecurity, customer data protection, etc. It also provides consumers, guests with safety and security and all the amenities they require.
“The federation’s members range from five-star grand superior hotels to rural properties, the choice is endless but legal, secure and provides quality.
“We’re pleased to have seen the Council of Mallorca and the tax office joining together in rooting out and fining illegal rentals because the sanctions have increased, and will continue to rise to the point that illegal renting of holiday lets will no longer be financially viable and that should put an end to the business. Since 2015, over the past 8 years, the number of hotel rooms has increased by just 5%. Legal, never mind illegal, rental properties have increased by 176%,” she said.
Expensive?
On price, the Bulletin is well aware that a number of people claim Mallorca has become too expensive. Aguiló said that it is all relative. “It all depends on what you want and how much people want to spend. Mallorca caters for all budgets and it does it well. Mallorca offers value for money and you get what you pay for. The island has something for everyone. The hoteliers, for example, have invested some three billion euros in ensuring that – add that to the taxes we pay. No wonder the illegal holiday rental market has to be eradicated.”