Balearic hotel occupation in September 90 percent

PALMA
THE average hotel occupation on Majorca in September will be around 90 percent, four percentage points more than in the same month last year when 86.6 percent of places were occupied.

This indicates that the Balearics will be among the regions with the highest level of hotel occupation in September, according to sources from the Majorcan Hoteliers Federation (FEHM).

They also highlighted that the majority of hoteliers on the island report that the tourist season is “working out better” than last year for all of the tourist areas and they forecast results for the end of September which will confirm the upward trend of the last few years.

At this point they also highlighted the “exceptional” level of occupation which is being recorded in the Playa de Palma, with tourist hotel occupation levels of around 95 percent during the weekends and where, in some cases hotels have had to put up “full” signs. “In the other areas this month the level of occupation has not been so spectacular, but in general it has been good”, the sources said.

During the high season reservations have been coming in without the need for special offers, a trend which will serve as a reference when tour operators and hotels are negotiating contracts for 2008, as it puts the hotels in “a better negotiating position” according to the Hoteliers Federation.

Although their position in the market has been recovered (it fell in the year 2003), prices have not increased in the same proportion.
In spite of this, the FEHM calculate that profit margins in 2007 will be “slightly above” those of last year, “because there have been no special offers and also because the number of hotels offering 'all inclusive' deals are decreasing”, they said.

These are “positive figures” which were extracted from a poll which the Association did a few days ago among the heads of the 26 Majorcan Hoteliers Associations, who shared their experiences of the season so far.

The poll also showed a positive trend which will be confirmed once the definitive figures are known.
On the other hand, the same sources said that the there are some Majorcan hotels which will stay open until October 31, although it is still “unknown” how booking of places in tourist establishments will be handled, given that most reservations are made at the last minute.

Nevertheless, the hoteliers are expecting to exceed the results of the past year, when occupation in October was 60.6 percent.