Passengers arriving at Palma Airport. | EFE

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Domestic tourism looks set to give 3-star and 4-star hotels in Mallorca a much needed boost during the Constitution Day bank holiday.

But 5-star hotel occupancy is suffering due to the decline in international tourism and according to Palma and Cala Mayor Hotel Association President Javier Vich.

1,526 flights are scheduled to take off or land at Son Sant Joan Aiport in Palma between Friday, December 3 and Thursday, December 9 and 1,076 of them are from mainland Spain.

During the Constitution Day bank holiday in 2019 a total of 1,126 domestic flights were registered at Palma Airport which is similar to this year, but international traffic has fallen by more than 25%.

110 hotels are open in Mallorca and the majority are in Palma, Playa de Palma, Cala Mayor, Palmanova and Magaluf.

"3-star and 4-star hotels in Palma will have 90% occupancy during the holiday weekend thanks to domestic tourism, whereas occupancy at boutique and 5-star hotels will be around 40%,” says Vich.

Friday will be the busiest day at Palma airport with 178 round trip flights scheduled from the mainland and 82 to an from international locations.

“The latest Covid restrictions adopted by the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson have burdened British tourism and hotels and areas that usually operate with that market are the ones that will suffer most,” according to representatives for Airlines, Tour Operators and Hoteliers.

Spanish tourism has been a big surprise during the summer season and over the bank holidays in October and December,” said Vich. “It is very positive and we hope that this commercial dynamic will continue throughout the next year.”