Record numbers — but for whom? Why Mallorca's tourism boom needs attention

Record numbers — but for whom? Why Mallorca's tourism boom needs attention

Key question: Are the additional revenues distributed fairly — or does the top benefit mainly?

The bare figures are impressive: between January and November 2025 around 18.7 million visitors came to the Balearic Islands, and tourism revenues for that period amounted to about €23.1 billion. According to the national statistics institute (INE) and the Balearic statistics office IBESTAT, visitor numbers grew by around 1.8 percent while revenues rose by roughly 4.7 percent; see Balearic Islands surpass 20-million mark: What the statistics hide.

At first glance that sounds like good news: tourists are spending more on average than before. But appearances are deceptive. While net turnover is rising, other indicators show cracks: overnight stays fell slightly overall (-0.7 percent), with significant losses in Ibiza and Formentera (-6.6%), which echoes findings in Tourism 2025: More visitors — but August reveals weaknesses, while Menorca recorded an increase of around 3 percent. In addition, Spanish guests in particular shortened their stays on average — a clear sign that household budgets are tighter or that prices are changing travel behavior.

In short: more money is being spent overall, but for fewer nights and apparently not evenly. French visitors stood out — their spending increased by more than 19 percent during the reporting period. This raises questions; see More Visitors, More Money — But How Long Can Mallorca Sustain It?. Where do these higher expenditures end up? In hotel chains, in large tour operators, in luxury offers or with small cafés and boat rental operators on the beach?

On Plaça de Cort and Calle Sant Miquel you can see these tensions with your own eyes. A corner café delivers croissants to tourists, a van maneuvers between taxis and bicycle couriers; guests pay at the counter while two waitresses whisper that repeat orders have decreased because families are staying fewer days. Such everyday scenes tell a different story than the annual statistics: for many businesses the situation remains uncertain.

What is often missing from public debate are differentiated figures and local impact analyses. Statistics at the level of the entire Balearics conceal regional differences: Which municipalities truly benefit? How much money stays with small service providers and retailers, and how much flows to owners of large chains or to foreign investors? The same applies to the burden on infrastructure: water, waste disposal, road maintenance and public transport cost money — who pays for that in the long run?

Another gap is the use of tourism levies. If revenues rise, transparency about how funds from tourist taxes or special levies are used for measures to relieve peak season pressure, protect water resources and expand sustainable mobility is essential. Without clear mechanisms, trust between residents and the industry risks deteriorating.

There are concrete solutions, and they are pragmatic rather than ideological: 1) Demand more detailed publications from INE and IBESTAT by municipality and sector — so mayors and entrepreneurs see where the problems are. 2) Earmark part of the additional tax revenue for infrastructure, water management and waste management. 3) Promote pilot projects to extend stays: discounts for a second week, collaborations with cultural organizers in the low season, targeted promotion for regions with available capacity. 4) Strengthen small businesses — microgrants for digital booking systems, training in upselling and joint local voucher schemes so spending is not concentrated only in large chains. 5) More strongly regulate short-term rentals and channel part of the income from them into local measures.

At the municipal level simple steps can help: roundtables between hoteliers, restaurants, taxi drivers and council members; transparent monitoring boards that publish key figures monthly; and trial schedules for better local public transport during peak season. At the island level a coordinated marketing strategy would make sense that not only promotes visitor numbers but also encourages a sustainable distribution of demand and value creation; see Boom Despite Friction: How Much Tourism Can Mallorca Still Handle?.

The island has resources, clever entrepreneurs and strong tourist appeal. A turnover increase of one billion euros is an opportunity — not a guarantee. Those who want to make this gain sustainable must make it visible, controllable and fair. Otherwise much of the shine will remain in the statistics, but little in the pockets of those who open the cafés in the morning, run the boats and clean the rooms.

Conclusion: Numbers are important, but they do not replace political management. Mallorca now needs more transparency, targeted investments and local support so that a record year not only looks good on the balance sheets but also strengthens quality of life on the island.