British decline vs. French growth: the new tourist landscape of Ibiza and Formentera

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Total tourism to the Islands has grown by 8% and new measures could reduce the number of visitors from the United Kingdom.

The 2024 season in Ibiza and Formentera is here and the first three months have seen an 8% growth in total tourism. However, the decline in German visitors and new regulations, which could affect the influx of British tourists, pose significant challenges for the sector.

Tourism growth in the first quarter of 2024
The first quarter of the year has brought encouraging data that contradicts speculation about the tourism sector in Ibiza and Formentera. According to the Balearic Islands Statistics Institute ( IBESTAT ), total tourism has grown by a remarkable 8%, indicating a solid post-pandemic recovery.

Breaking down these numbers, it can be seen that domestic tourism has increased by 13.69%, with 92,112 visitors compared to 81,020 the previous year. This growth reflects how Spaniards are rediscovering and choosing local destinations, perhaps because of the proximity and ease of travel they offer.

On the other hand, international tourism has slightly forex data decreased by 1.51%, a figure that, although modest, could pose obstacles to attracting foreign visitors. The causes of this trend may be diverse, from intense competition from other tourist destinations to changes in traveler preferences, economic factors and international tensions.

Predominance of French and Italian visitors
According to the statistics provided by IBESTAT, France and Italy stand out as the main international growth markets. French tourists increased by an impressive 57.84%, reaching 8,056 in the first quarter, consolidating Ibiza and Formentera as favourite destinations.

Italian tourism, for its part, also showed a solid increase of 11.05%, with 7,935 visitors, showing that Italians continue to choose the island year after year, attracted by its beauty, the variety of activities on offer and its proximity.

In contrast, Germany showed a decrease of 3.27%, with 30,895 tourists. This decrease is striking, since German tourists are an economically important segment for the islands. However, it must be considered that these data reflect only the first three months of the year, and that this decrease could be due to a change in preferences regarding seasonality, choosing to visit the region in warmer months with greater tourist influx.

Impact of the new regulation on responsible tourism
On May 10, 2020, Decree Law 1/2020, now called "for responsible tourism and improving the quality of tourist areas", was amended. This regulation prohibits the consumption of alcoholic beverages in public places in the affected areas, except on terraces and legally authorized areas, with penalties ranging from 500 to 1,500 euros for non-compliance.

Some British media outlets have not welcomed the change and have sparked rumours of a possible drop in tourism from the UK, suggesting that visitors may be unhappy with the new rules. However, Jaume Bauzá, Balearic Minister for Tourism, said the data shows the “loyalty” of British tourists to the islands, with numbers recovering to pre-pandemic levels despite the negative news.

Digital transformation in the Balearic Islands
The tourism sector is the economic engine of the Balearic region, and several actions have been implemented to improve attention and service, the most important of which is digitalisation. The Spanish Government has launched several initiatives in this regard, highlighting the “Digital Kit” programme. This programme is designed to help micro-enterprises, SMEs and self-employed workers obtain the digital tools necessary to grow, access new markets and develop their full potential.