Air traffic data for tourist activity during the month of May confirm the prevailing feeling on the street: the coronavirus is now just a bad memory, even if many are still having a terrible time. Last month, 856,519 passengers were counted at the terminal compared to 887,678 for the same month in 2019, before the pandemic. And the accumulated total for the year, the figure rises to 1,940,482 travelers, just 57,252 less than in the same period three years ago.
Everything seems to have stabilized again, although on the island many have the feeling that there is more tourist activity than ever. Data from National Airports and Air Navigation (AENA) indicate that the Ibizan terminal is recovering what was lost by covid-19.
8.4% more tourist activity this weekend than in 2019
The three Balearic airports had 1,942 flights scheduled this Sunday, 8.4% more than those operated on the same Sunday in 2019, before the pandemic, and 135.6% more than the same day last year that was affected by the health crisis. Of the 1,942 flights scheduled, 955 were international, 49.1 % of the total, according to data provided by the managing body Aena. At Palma airport 874 flights were scheduled (of which 658 are international, 75.3 %), on Eivissa 320 (207 international, 64.7 %) and on Menorca 148 (90 of them international, 60.8 %). The airports of the islands operated 3,812 flights this weekend, between Friday and Sunday, which are 6.4 % less than the same weekend in 2019, but 92.2 % more than these days last year. At Son Sant Joan airport were scheduled 2,422 flights from Friday to Sunday; on Eivissa 970 and on Maó 420.
The number of travelers in these first five months, bordering on two million users, is only 2.9% lower than before the coronavirus, but represents a significant jump compared to the same period last year, specifically 274%, since then it was limited to 518,112 passengers. And the difference is even greater if we compare the activity from January to May this year with that of the covid year (the general confinement began in mid-March): an increase of 301%. Since then, the airport has recovered 1,456,611 passengers, according to AENA statistics.
Domestic and international tourist activity
The differences are even greater if we analyze domestic and international traffic. Especially the latter, due to the islands’ strong dependence on tourist activity. Thus, in the first five months of this year, there were 889,187 passengers with international origin or destination, compared to 31,483 in the year of covid. This is a difference of 2,724%!
As for domestic traffic, in 2020 there were 450,509 users and this year, 1,047,949. The difference is also substantial, but smaller: 132%.
The data are more even if compared to those of the last fiscal year before covid. In international traffic, tourist activity has fully recovered and the gap is limited to 1.6%, which means that in May, just 14,200 less passengers from outside the country were handledthan in the same period of 2019. Domestic traffic has suffered more, but by a smaller percentage: it has fallen by 3.8% compared to three years ago, with 41,300 fewer travelers than then.
In terms of operations, this year the runway has supported the passage of 21,287 aircraft (always counting landings and takeoffs), when in 2019 there were 19.727, representing a rise of 7.9%.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.