Mallorca's restaurants and nightclubs are anticipating a tourism season similar to that of 2024, when tourist spending was well down on the previous year. The restaurants pointed to a 20% fall in turnover, a reason given having been the increased costs of accommodation and flights. Another was that tourists weren't spending savings that had been accumulated during the pandemic.
Juanmi Ferrer, president of the CAEB Restaurants Association in Mallorca, says people are making the effort to save and travel, but that they don't have the same spending power. As 2025 is expected to be much the same as 2024, the restaurants are looking to contain their prices in order to encourage consumption or, at least, not contribute to driving it away further.
March was never destined to have been a particularly busy month because of the late Easter, but it was disappointing even so. As an example, revenue was apparently down by some 50% in Alcudia and Playa de Muro compared with last March, but then Easter 2024 was at the end of March. There again, the weather made the month worse than had been expected. "March was bad: bad weather and few people," says Ferrer. And the weather may affect hopes for the Easter break. "Easter is four days long. If you get one rainy day, it's only three."
As for the clubs, they plan to contain prices but they are also looking at a shorter season. An attempt to extend the season in 2024 ended up backfiring on many clubs. The president of the ABONE nightlife association, Miguel Pérez-Marsá, believes a "realistic" schedule would be from May 15 to mid-September. "We will adapt to reality. Last year we tried to extend the season and realised that the season was what it was."
The two associations agree in highlighting the difficulties they face in planning for the tourism season by comparison with the hotels, which have their bookings to go on. "They can plan months in advance," says Pérez-Marsá. The restaurants and clubs cannot. Ferrer made a similar point about planning the other day. He was speaking in the context of the negotiations for the hospitality industry collective bargaining agreement. By publicising the challenges they face, the restaurants and clubs are sending out a message to the unions and are also reinforcing their view that they should have a separate agreement.
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I find this very confusing. I understood that Mallorca doesn’t want or need tourists anymore
When we first moved to Palma nine-odd years ago, we went out for lunch once or twice a week. Now it's more like once a month€€€€€€
Well, there is a global recession coming, thanks to the orangutan. It is curious, however, that the MDB usually parrots whatever is the hot topic in mainstream media at any given moment.. Yet currently appears to be avoiding the elephant in the room dominating mainstream media; the mess over across the pond that will eventually cause us all some serious pain. I'm not sure whether to congratulate the MDB for avoiding it, but I suspect that any anti-Trump sentiments would attract nasty snarls and spite from those still brainwashed, and considering the past 50 days history (and more, really) publishing any pro-Trump spins would obviously destroy any credibility it has left, as it all descends into chaos (except of course, if you read the Trump bible, which tells to believe it's all going great). The press are surely suffering backlash no matter what they print about the Orangutan, so it's probably best not to say anything at all. Except for the brave of course; Shit shields up, Scotty.
There's a formula that tourists will respond to and which a small number of eateries use. It's the same formula/business model as used by Zara, the fashion store. Quality at affordable prices, refreshing the menu regularly and delivering service with a smile in pleasant surroundings. Seems obvious really but so few restaurant owners actually apply it to their businesses. The ones that do are always busy and thriving so you can spot them quite easily. It's what diners want and it's not rocket science to provide it.
The tourist trap restaurants are generally mediocre at best and vastly overpriced. There are some exceptions but they are becoming fewer and further between.