The nightlife offer in Formentera will remain “at a minimum” during the next tourist season of 2026, with hardly any music and recreational establishments opening on an island that is already dragging a prolonged crisis in the sector, warn business associations and representatives of local tourism.
The employers’ association of hospitality and nightlife in the Pitiusa Menor, ABRO, estimates that in 2026 only two establishments will open in the area of Es Pujols and another two in Sant Ferran, a volume of activity “clearly insufficient” to meet the demand of visitors looking for nightlife. This was stated by the president of the Abro Association, which includes catering and leisure establishments on the island, Franco Chimini, in statements to Radio Ibiza.
The shortage of nightclubs with music or nightlife is not new in Formentera, but a trend that has been accentuated in recent years with progressive closures in Es Pujols and pressure of administrative and police controls, according to businessmen in the sector. Last summer only one discotheque on the island operated throughout the season, and even not every day, due to lack of profitability.
According to businessmen, complying with state safety and licensing regulations is especially complicated in Formentera, where businesses are small and requirements are strict, which has led to the closure of establishments that acted as discotheques without the corresponding authorization.
The weakening of nightlife also affects tourism, since upon arriving on the island many visitors find few options for after-dinner entertainment, a criticism that has already been reflected in satisfaction surveys of the 2024 Tourism Barometer, where the lack of nightlife was mentioned as one of the main dissatisfactions of tourists.
This situation is in addition to the previous warning of hoteliers and complementary sectors, which warned of massive closures and continuous controls by the Local Police, as well as the decline of musical activities in beach bars and beach clubs that traditionally completed the daytime and nighttime leisure offer.
Faced with this scenario, the employers’ associations are calling for a review of the regulations and the promotion of conditions that allow the survival of music and nightlife on the island without compromising safety or the protected environment of Formentera, aware that a balanced tourism model requires complementary activities to the sun and beach that favor the stay and spending of visitors.
