“It is a simplification to describe Ibiza as an overflowing luxury destination.”

“The phrase belongs to María Costa Roig, president of the Hotel Federation of Ibiza and Formentera, and accurately summarizes the sector’s vision of a label that, although profitable for foreign promotion, does not reflect the real structure of the accommodation plant.

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According to data provided by the federation itself, 53% of the hotels in Ibiza are four or five stars, compared to 72% in Mallorca and 74% in Menorca. “Although there are luxury hotels -which obviously have to be there-, that segment does not represent the majority of the offer,” Costa explains. His concern is not semantic: the image of an exclusive island can distort the message of a destination that, in reality, lives from diversity and accessibility.

The growth of luxury does not imply elitization of the destination, the president stresses, but “an improvement in service and facilities to respond to an increasingly demanding client.

Modernize without eliticizing

The rise of high-end hotels in Sant Josep or Santa Eulària has coincided with a general process of modernization of the hotel industry in Pitiusa. Many establishments have refurbished their facilities or upgraded their category to remain competitive with emerging destinations. But Costa insists: “Modernizing is not eliticizing, it is adapting to new standards of quality and sustainability.”

In practice, the sector is committed to a quiet luxury, based on wellness, local gastronomy and personalized attention. “Ibiza does not need more places, but better experiences,” summarizes a businessman consulted by this newspaper, in line with the discourse of the federation.

The risk of the label

The federation warns that identifying Ibiza only with luxury can have counterproductive effects: increase average prices, exclude certain audiences and reinforce the perception of saturation. Costa argues that the goal should be to maintain the balance between quality tourism and accessibility: “We want Ibiza to remain an open, sustainable and safe destination,” he says.

Meanwhile, the Consell Insular and the Balearic Government are promoting a strategy of tourist containment that prioritizes quality over quantity, in line with the federation itself. This season’s data-highoccupancywith fewer overall visitors-reinforce this line: a model of less volume and more value.

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