Mallorca excursion groups: Aviba rejects size cuts

The Balearic Travel Agencies Business Association (Aviba) has opposed calls to reduce the size of Mallorca excursion groups, arguing that organised trips help manage visitor movement. The association responded in Palma, Mallorca, on 25 August 2026 to comments by Pedro Oliver, president of the Official College of Tourist Guides of the Balearic Islands.

Oliver had said that some firms run large groups outside Palma, where tours are subject to a limit, to increase profits. Aviba president Pedro Fiol rejected that assessment, saying excursions arrange the travel of people already on the island rather than adding to visitor numbers.

Capacity and operating costs

Aviba said travel agencies comply with current rules and make use of the authorised capacity of their vehicles. Fiol said splitting 60 people between two coaches would not remove any visitors from the destination, while requiring an additional coach, driver and guide.

The association said smaller groups could substantially raise excursion costs and weaken their competitiveness. It also warned that the policy could send more visitors onto buses, trains and other transport used by residents.

Call for wider evidence on visitor pressure

Aviba said organised excursions should not be blamed for congestion in particular municipalities without an assessment of other causes. It cited unregulated offers, holiday lets, hire cars, independent travel, visitor peaks at certain times and the management of movement around the island.

The group also warned that making professionally guided excursions harder to run could leave visitors travelling independently after being dropped at sites. It said this would mean the same number of tourists arriving without guides to coordinate timings or explain Mallorca's heritage, history and culture.

Aviba added that agencies and tour operators employ many guides and want to continue doing so, but said a model that makes excursions prohibitively expensive or impractical would not be viable. It called for specific poor practice to be identified and reported rather than for the whole sector to be criticised.

Topics: Housing · Tourism · Economy · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com