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Who counts us? Mobile phone data, cruise tourists and the question of transparency

Counting cruise passengers at Palma: approach and challenges

Looks at how Mallorca plans to count cruise visitors in Palma and the practical challenges of data-based counting.

Published: November 01, 2026
Who counts us? Mobile phone data, cruise tourists and the question of transparency

Answer

How are cruise passengers counted at the Port of Palma and what challenges does that involve?

The plan involves analyzing movements of cruise guests using anonymized signals, focusing on February, July, and October 2025, with Palma divided into about 290 counting zones. A key challenge is distinguishing cruise passengers from other visitors and ensuring counts reflect unique individuals rather than repeated signals. How thresholds and assumptions are applied will shape the results.

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