The number of vehicles entering Ibiza during the peak tourist months has decreased by 16.2 percent compared to 2024, before the vehicle restriction came into effect. Between June and September 2026, 91,754 passenger vehicles arrived on the island, compared to the 109,457 registered in the same period in 2024. This represents 17,703 fewer vehicles.
This figure highlights the regulation of access to the island as one of the main tools used by the Ibiza Council to alleviate pressure on the road network during the busiest months of the tourist season.
“The most important thing is not just the overall result, but the fact that we have managed to reduce the number of vehicles in July and August, when Ibiza is under maximum pressure,” said the Council’s First Vice President, Mariano Juan. “We haven’t simply shifted the problem elsewhere; we have taken measures when and where they were most needed.”
The decline is especially pronounced among passenger cars. In the four months analyzed, 81,572 cars were imported, compared to 96,332 in 2024. The difference is 14,760 vehicles, a 15.3 percent drop. The decline has been consistent throughout the season: passenger car arrivals decreased by 11.5 percent in June, 18.1 percent in July, 19.3 percent in August, and 10.3 percent in September compared to 2024.
In aggregate terms, the number of vehicle movements—which includes both arrivals and departures—also reflects the change in trend. Between June and September, the figure fell from 218,071 movements in 2024 to 182,672 in 2026.
Public transportation is gaining ground
The mobility management strategy has also been based on expanding public transportation as an alternative to private cars. Between April and August, the network recorded 4.9 million passengers, a 26.4% increase from a year earlier. August accounted for part of this growth: the number of passengers exceeded 1,250,000, representing a 40.2% year-over-year increase.
The change aims to bring about a twofold transformation of the island’s transportation model: to reduce the number of vehicles entering the island during peak demand periods and, at the same time, increase the capacity of car alternatives.
The trend is even more pronounced in the case of caravans. Between January and September 2026, 1,282 vehicles of this type arrived in Ibiza, compared to the 4,467 registered in the same period in 2024. For the Council, the figures reinforce the idea that managing transport flows has become a key element of the islands’ tourism policy.
Today, Mallorca and Menorca are moving toward similar measures. The debate is no longer whether we should manage visitor flows, but how to do so effectively,” Juan concluded. Beyond the cumulative figure, the key indicator will now be whether this reduction is sustained over time and how its impact on mobility, public transportation, and the tourist experience evolves over the coming years.
