Llorenç Pou, the Government’s general director of employment, assured this newspaper this week that tourist activity in Ibiza and Formentera “was extremely high in October compared to previous years.” It was, he explained, a result of the “embalmed desire to travel” following the pandemic’s blow. By delaying the season’s start, travel aspirations are “gradually shifted to the tail, to the fall.” And that is precisely what happened in October, a strange month in comparison to previous years, in which less managed to accomplish more.
If you consider the number of hotels open, the first thing that comes to mind is that it was a disaster: only 132 were operational, which is 109% more than in 2020 (during the height of the health crisis), but 56% less than in 2019.
However, when looking at open positions, that final (seemingly bleak) percentage drops to -19.4%. These 132 establishments had a total of 32,665 vacancies, which is 7,866 fewer than was the case just a few years ago. And among those, it’s worth noting that four-star hotels (the only complete data provided by Ibestat, which just published this statistic) increased in number compared to the year prior to the pandemic: there were 15,489 available, roughly 2,000 more than in 2019. This is the best October data in Pitiusas history. There have never been this many. Due to the scarcity of five-star hotels, the majority of those that closed in October were less than three stars (most), while those in the higher category succumbed to the season’s pull. And at a premium price.
When the magnifying glass is focused on each municipality, this becomes evident. There were 6,156 available spaces in Ibiza, an increase of 1,050 from two years ago. And in Sant Josep, 9,659, a decrease of only 400 from the previous season. The number of available spaces decreased significantly in Sant Antoni (4,443 fewer, nearly 39 percent fewer) and Santa Eulària (9,285 available, -26.4%). Ibiza and Sant Josep were the standout destinations. In Vila’s case, it makes sense when one considers the number of hotels open, 35, only one less than in 2019. However, they opened only 19, nine fewer accommodations in Sant Josep, while there were 36 active accommodations in Sant Antoni, only six fewer than two years ago. Santa Eulària saw a greater number of closures: 12 fewer than the 48 recorded in 2019.
The number of travelers entering Ibiza and Formentera in October increased by eightfold over the same period in 2020, but remained lower than in 2019.
Ibiza’s highest rate
As was the case in the preceding two months, hotels charged higher rates than they did prior to the pandemic. October’s average price for the Pitiusas was 98 euros, six euros more than the previous record set in 2018. It increased, most notably, the rate for four4-star lodging, which was 98.4 euros, or ten euros more than in 2019. The three-star hotel was 72.7 euros, 17 euros less than it was previously.
On average, revenue per available room was 53.8 euros, nearly five euros less than in 2019. It improved slightly in the case of four stars, which increased from €53 two years ago to €61 this year. In three stars, the price dropped to 36 euros (47 in 2019).
Only 51.2 percent of the existing hotel plant was opened, down from 62.6 percent in 2019 (10 percent in 2020), while the occupancy rate for available rooms was 55.3 percent (62.67 percent two years ago) and the occupancy rate for existing rooms was 28.3 percent, down 11 percentage points from two years ago.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.