More Jobs from Tourism — but at What Cost? How the Labor Market on the Balearic Islands Is Changing

More jobs, more activity — and new questions

When in the morning the sun brushes the roofs on the Passeig and the scent of freshly brewed café con leche drifts from the cafés, you notice it immediately: the island is working. More receptionists, more service staff, bags with hotel logos hurriedly being pulled up the stairs. In June, nearly 184,000 people were employed in the tourism sector in the Balearic Islands — around 3,300 more than the previous year. That sounds like success. But is it really only a reason to celebrate?

Key question: How sustainable are the new jobs?

The central question is: Do these positions offer long-term prospects for the people who live here — or do they reinforce old problems such as seasonality and housing pressure? At first glance, families benefit from more stable incomes: many businesses are increasingly returning to permanent employment contracts. That is a real relief for those who need a regular income and social insurance.

Where the increases come from — and what is rarely mentioned

The growth is concentrated in hotels, travel agencies and traditional service providers around the hospitality industry. Interestingly: the number of self-employed people in the sector is falling slightly. Businesses seem to be hiring permanent staff more often again. One positive effect rarely seen in headlines: employees have access to social benefits, vacation entitlements and protection against dismissal. At the same time, less self-employment also means less flexibility for people who had deliberately chosen such models — for example seasonal workers who can earn significantly more in the high season.

Regional reality, national framework

The Balearic Islands are a hotspot, but the trend is reflected across Spain: almost three million people work nationwide in tourism. In Mallorca you can see the effects every day — extra cleaning teams, more luggage trolleys at the airport, hotel buses in front of the Club de Mar. But this density of employment also intensifies competition in the housing market. If you stand at the Plaça in the morning with a cappuccino in your hand, you don't just hear foreign languages — you hear colleagues and neighbors commuting between early and late shifts.

Problems that remain — and solutions that are often too limited

The downsides are well known: seasonal fluctuations, rising rents, and jobs that are often concentrated in the summer months. What is too rarely discussed in public debate are concrete measures to turn seasonal jobs into sustainable careers. Some approaches:

1. Smooth out seasonality: Promote events in the low season, provide incentives for hotels to open outside the peak season, and develop conference or wellness offers that attract guests year-round.

2. Training and career advancement: Cooperation between hotels and vocational schools, paid trainee programs and continuing education offers so that temporary workers can become skilled employees — and stay locally.

3. Housing policy: Stricter rules against speculative holiday rentals, municipal housing projects for employees, and incentives for owners to offer long-term rentals.

4. Economic diversification: Support for technology, craft and agricultural projects that generate income independent of the tourist season.

A pragmatic look ahead

The rise in employment is undoubtedly good news — especially on hot days when the island hums and restaurants buzz late into the evening. But without accompanying measures, this short-term upswing risks fizzling out again with the season. Local politicians, businesses and trade unions will need to work together on solutions that are more than lip service.

If you stand at the Club de Mar and hear the sound of suitcase wheels across the square, you hear more than tourism. You hear the sound of an island trying to balance work, life and quality of life. The figure of 184,000 employees is a signal — now it depends on what we make of it.