It has become common for many Mallorcans to log on to their social networks and see images of relatives and acquaintances enjoying themselves at a Menorcan cove, strolling through Dalt Vila in Ibiza or sunbathing on the beach of ses Illetes, in Formentera. There was a real boom in inter-island tourism in July, with 47,024 visitors from Mallorca travelling by boat to the other islands, according to data from the Institut Balear d’EstadÃstica (Ibestat) published last Thursday.
This figure is the all-time record for any month of July since 2006, the first year for which data is available, surpassing the previous record by 21.5%, in July 2018. In fact, the four highest figures in this area have all occurred in the previous four Julys.
“There are several very influential factors. Firstly, trips that have been made during the pandemic, which are to nearby destinations for a few days, in many cases between three and five,” says Xisco Mulet, president of the Balearic Islands Travel Agencies Association (AVIBA). “There is a greater sense of security in going to a Balearic island than, for example, to Greece, because of the uncertainty around quarantine when you go to another country, the risk of confinement or the possibility of having to postpone the return trip.” he adds.
“In addition, there are the Govern’s tourist vouchers. This is a subsidy of 100 euros per person for inter-island travel which greatly boosts tourism, as it is a significant discount on travel costs, “he explains. The truth is that the promotion of tourist vouchers is a strategy that has been adopted by several communities to promote local tourism such as the Region of Murcia, and which in the Balearic Islands “has been a mainstay, it will be a record summer,” says Mulet.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.