Balearic Restaurants Face Customer Slump After Overtourism Protests
Hospitality chiefs have raised the alarm over dropping customer numbers(Image: Getty Images/F1online RM)
The Balearic Islands face a tourism paradox: After years battling overtourism, restaurants across Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca now report worrying customer declines. New data reveals a 3% year-on-year drop in diners during 2025 – the sharpest decrease in Spain according to hospitality analytics firm Delectatech.
Price Sensitivity Hits Vacation Hotspots
Industry analysts point to rising menu prices as the primary deterrent. While mainland regions like Extremadura saw customer growth with average meal prices under €15, Balearic establishments charging €25-€35 per person experienced the steepest declines. As Juanmi Ferrer, president of the CAEB Restaurants Association, explains: “Consumers have hit a price ceiling. Our 3% drop equals nearly 1.2 million lost meals annually – devastating for businesses operating on 5-10% margins.”
Rising costs are being blamed for the drop in customers(Image: Getty Images/Westend61)
Discount Scheme Proposed Amid Industry Pessimism
The Balearic government is considering restaurant vouchers mirroring its successful retail initiative, which gave residents €60 in shopping credits. This comes as Ferrer describes 2026’s start as “disastrous,” with January sales down 8-12% year-on-year across many establishments.
“We’re trapped between 4% food inflation and customer resistance,” says Ferrer. “Most owners would rather shrink portions than hike prices again.” Industry data shows average Balearic menu prices rose 9% in 2025 versus 6% nationally.
Tourism Shift Follows Summer Protests
Protests have seen locals waving banners with slogans such as ‘Mallorca not for sale'(Image: Phil Harris/The Daily Mirror)
The customer slump follows massive anti-tourism demonstrations in June 2025, when 5,000 Majorcans marched through Palma demanding visitor caps. Ibiza’s tourism minister Jaume Bauzá confirmed at London’s World Travel Market that British arrivals dropped by 20,000 during peak season.
“Some tourists now avoid summer entirely,” notes tourism researcher Elena Martínez. “October bookings are up 15% as visitors chase lower prices and cooler temperatures.”
Luxury Push Alienates Locals and Tourists
Ibiza native Sofìa Ribas observes how upscale development reshapes communities: “Workers live in caravans while €1,000/night hotels stand empty. The mix of beach bars and billionaires that defined Ibiza is disappearing.”
Nightlife association head Miguel Pérez-Marsá confirms the trend: “Mid-range tourists feel unwelcome. Many now choose Greece or Turkey instead.” Tourist office data shows 12% fewer mid-priced hotel bookings in
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