Georgina Rodríguez turns Andratx into a runway

Georgina Rodríguez turns Andratx into a runway

On early Tuesday evening a quiet stretch of coast off Andratx briefly transformed into a glamorous backdrop: on a yacht at anchor, multi-hour filming took place for an international swimwear collection. The scene looked like something from a travel magazine, except everyday life carried on around it – fishing boats chugged by, seagulls cried and on the Port d'Andratx jetty helpers could be seen bringing boxes of catering and equipment ashore.

The protagonist of the shoot is already well-known in the industry: as a model, entrepreneur and influencer with a reach of around 72.3 million followers. According to observations, the group started in the private flights area at Palma airport and then went to the luxury yacht, which anchored a little off the coast. Various bikini and swimsuit looks, but also sporty outfits, were staged there. The production used the bow, stern and sides of the ship as changing sets; a jump into the sea and posing on the boarding ladder were also part of the programme.

Such shoots bring more than just headlines. Numerous local service providers were on site: marina staff, transport companies, local gastronomy, make-up and styling teams with connections to the island. A scene change on board required costume changes and catering — small things that mean important daily wages for the people here. On the Paseo Marítimo in Palma, when the taxi driver tells the story in the evening, it often goes: 'Today there was a shoot, tomorrow another boat' — it adds up over the season.

A small, positive everyday scene: around 8 pm, as the sun sank toward the Tramuntana, two anglers sat on the breakwater and looked curiously at the illuminated yacht; a child repaired a beach kayak, whose owner later delivered drinks for the team. Such encounters are typical for our island: gloss and everyday life sit close together here, without one completely overshadowing the other.

Why this is good for Mallorca: such productions show the island as a professional filming location with infrastructure and expertise. They bring bookings for marinas and hotels in shoulder seasons, assignments for local crews and craftsmen, and visibility for small businesses that provide catering, transport or equipment. The image created by international campaigns attracts not only tourists but also further productions — and with them jobs outside the classic high season.

A small outlook: if municipalities and port operators continue to work with clear rules, allocated filming time slots and transparent fees, such assignments can be integrated more sustainably. Thinkable are fixed contact points for film teams, a directory of local service providers and short information leaflets for residents so that shoots come as less of a surprise and the local economy benefits more.

At the end of the evening the team left the yacht, and the return trip led back via the private flights area at Palma airport. For many on the island the impression remains: a bit of glamour, a few extra jobs and the certainty that Mallorca has long been more than a holiday beach — it is stage, workshop and home at the same time.