Mallorca solar eclipse: 2.1 million in Balearics
Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands, shares an August record with the rest of the archipelago: 2.1 million people are on the islands on the day of the solar eclipse. That is a record August reading for the human pressure index, which counts how many people are present. On 4 November, Balearic tourism minister Jaume Bauzá points to the eclipse as the reason for the spike.
Bauzá says the wider picture is different. The index was lower in June and July than in previous years, though he wants to see further figures before judging the trend. Tourist numbers rose by 2% in August, compared with less than 1% in each of June and July. Frontur figures suggest a year-on-year rise of just 0.01% in September.
The minister says the government will stick with its tourism limits. He cites caps on tourist places, a ban on new places in blocks of flats, higher penalties and work with platforms that has removed up to 30,000 places.
Bauzá acknowledges that hotels and other tourist services have become more expensive, but says more tourists are coming outside the peak season. He says Mallorca’s season already stretches across much of the year. On the other islands, the government wants to extend the middle season with sporting and cultural events.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com