The warnings of international tour operators to the Government about the effects of extreme heat on summer tourism in the Balearic Islands contrast, for the moment, with the situation observed in Ibiza. This is what the insular director of Tourism, Juan Miguel Costa, assures, who rules out that the high temperatures have had a significant effect on the reservations.
“We haven’t noticed a significant drop in bookings, nor when you talk to the sector is there any concern or worry in that sense,” he says to La Voz de Ibiza.
The island official recognizes that there is a certain “buzz” about changes in consumer habits, especially in August, and that some tourists with greater purchasing power are traveling less, but considers that there is no data to speak of a direct impact of the heat on booking decisions.
“From there to thinking that this represents a very significant percentage or that bookings are being shifted to other destinations because of the hot hours, the truth is that they are not,” adds Costa.
International tour operators warn of a “tipping point”.
According to the newspaper Última Hora, tour operators from Germany and the United Kingdom have begun to convey to the Balearic Government their concern about the “loss of comfort” experienced by some clients during the hottest summer months.
The DRV association, which brings together German travel agencies, has pointed to a “tipping point” in 2025 and warns of a growing shift of tourists to cooler destinations, such as the Alps or the Baltic.
From the UK, ABTA and major operators such as Jet2Holidays or TUI UK have admitted to be reconsidering their plans for the high season due to extreme heat alerts. In parallel, the lengthening of the tourist season is gaining prominence as a way to offset the pressure of the summer.
Ibiza avoids the effect of climate change
In the case of Ibiza, the island management does not share the diagnosis of international tour operators for now. Juan Miguel Costa stresses that “it is something that has not been communicated directly to us“, and that the market remains stable, with no signs of concern on the part of hoteliers or local operators.
In the face of international pressure to revise tourism strategies in the face of climate change, Costa insists that bookings show no anomalies: “We have not noticed a significant drop in bookings, nor when you talk to the sector is there any concern or worry in this regard.
The Balearic Government admits a “limited” impact
The Government’s Director General of Tourism, Miquel Rosselló, has acknowledged that heat waves can have an effect on a certain segment of the market, but believes that their impact remains limited.
“It may affect, but we still have a product with sufficient solvency to have a significant impact,” Rosselló tells Última Hora.
The regional government also points to a possible saturation of the high season model as the cause of the slowdown in growth.
“The sector notes that we have reached a top level, with high prices and a limited supply in terms of number of places,” says Rosselló, who considers that the margin for growth in volume is already scarce.
