Copyright mirror
Tens of thousands of Brits stayed away from Ibiza this summer, the island's tourism minister has admitted. Last summer, protests aimed at overtourism raged across key Spanish holiday destinations as locals declared that they'd had enough. They did so during a record-breaking year, with 94 million holidaymakers heading to Spain in 2024. According to the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, international travellers spent an estimated €126.3 billion in the country in 2024, a 16.1% increase on the year before. As welcome as the cash likely is, the pressure such high volumes of visitors are having on housing, public infrastructure, and the way of life in Spain is simply not worth it for many. And last year, huge numbers decided to take to the streets to make their voices heard. At the World Travel Market (WTM) in London this week, Ibiza's Minister of Tourism, Jaume Bauza, addressed the potential impact of the protests on visitor numbers, and said that 20,000 fewer Brits had decided to visit the Balearic island during the high season this year compared to 2020. Do you have a story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com However, the island's tourism chiefs are hopeful they've just moved their breaks to October and November, when temperatures are less sizzling and the chances of protest disruption are lower. Flight capacity to the Balearics is up 8% this November compared to 2024, in anticipation of more shoulder-season travellers. When asked if people were not travelling because they were worried about getting swept up in overtourism protests, Mr Bauza said through a translator: "The truth is, any decrease in the attendance from our main markets, such as the British market, is a reason to worry. However, this has been compensated for by the increase from the French, Swiss, and Italian markets. The increase is comparable to last season. Any decrease from our biggest markets is something we need to pay attention to. With regards to protests, we respect them, but they do not worry us." Ibiza has signalled a shift towards higher-end, higher-spending tourism over the past year. At the WTM, Mr. Bauza detailed plans to crack down on illegal holiday lets and to monitor the tourism industry's impact on the island's natural environment. "I want the British who visit our islands who are, and will always be, warmly welcome, to be aware of and familiar with this transformation process, because I want them to be aware and participate in the changes we are undertaking," the tourism boss said. "Because it's not about growing for growth's sake, but of taking care of what we already have, of ensuring each visitor experiences the very best of our islands and that our residents feel the same pride." Pedro Homar, managing director of the Palma Tourism Board, said visitor numbers to the Majorcan capital remained strong this summer. He told the Mirror: "British tourism is the number one nationality for us in the city of Palma, it has been like that for the last five years and we want to continue like this. We really want to make sure that Palma gets more UK tourists, and they're more than welcome."
