The Hotel Business Federation of Mallorca (FEHM) launched the second edition of the ‘Thank you for visiting Mallorca’ campaign on Wednesday, an initiative through which the hotel industry association aims to convey a message of shared responsibility between those who visit the island and those who live there.
The campaign, launched in collaboration with the 23 hotel associations that make up the Federation—representing some 800 establishments across Mallorca—focuses this year on two key messages: These Are Your Vacations. This Is Our Home. And Let’s Keep It Special Together. Both converge on a single idea: Let’s all take care of it.
The presentation also offered the organization the opportunity to evaluate the start of the tourist season and to share some of its key observations on the sector’s development and the challenges facing the destination.
The business association expects a season similar to last year’s, characterized by stability and with reasonably positive prospects despite the uncertainty stemming from the international geopolitical situation. As explained by FEHM president Javier Vich, the British market continues to show strong demand, while the German market is growing at a slower pace. Some tourist areas, such as Cala Rajada and Santa Ponça, have had a slower start to the season, although the industry is confident that last-minute bookings will help boost activity in the coming weeks.
This initiative also comes at a time marked by public debate about the impact of tourism in the Balearic Islands, a debate that in recent years has focused on issues such as pressure on the housing market, transportation, the carrying capacity of certain areas, and the growth of various types of tourist accommodation. In fact, the platform “Less Tourism, More Life” recently called for a demonstration in Palma on July 26 to protest mass tourism.
In this context, FEHM has launched a campaign focused on coexistence and, according to the organization, on the need to preserve those elements that have helped consolidate Mallorca as one of the Mediterranean’s leading tourist destinations.
During the presentation, Vich argued that tourism should be viewed from a broad perspective that takes into account both the expectations of those who visit the island and the needs of its residents. “Those who visit us and those of us who live here are part of the same reality,” he said. “We want visitors to have a good experience, but we also want those of us who live in Mallorca to feel comfortable with an activity that is part of our economy and our daily lives, and for those who work in the sector to find opportunities for professional development.”
In this regard, Vich has complained that the tourism sector is becoming a ‘punching bag’ for many residents who direct their frustration at it over issues—he argues—for which it is not responsible, such as the housing crisis.
A campaign focused on community life
The latest edition of ‘Thanks for Visiting Mallorca’ aims to build on the initiative launched by the FEHM last year, while also incorporating a clearer message about the relationship between residents and visitors.
As the organization explained, the campaign’s main slogan is based on a simple idea: the same place can represent different experiences for different people. For some, it’s a vacation destination; for others, it’s the place where they live their daily lives. Based on this premise, the hotel industry association invites reflection on the need to care for what both groups share.
The campaign is not just about natural and urban spaces, but also about issues related to coexistence, mutual respect, the quality of the tourist experience, and the preservation of the values that have shaped the destination’s identity. The Federation emphasizes that the goal is not to convey confrontational messages or point out specific behaviors, but rather to promote an attitude of shared responsibility.
According to the organization, much of Mallorca’s appeal is the result of an accumulative process developed over decades by businesses, workers, residents, and visitors. It is a heritage that, they say, requires collective commitment to be maintained over time.
The second part of the message, “Let’s make it special together,“ explores precisely this idea. According to FEHM, the fact that Mallorca has consolidated itself as an international tourist destination is not due to chance, but is the result of years of investment, the modernization of its tourism offering, the professionalization of the sector, and adapting to the new demands of the market.
Along with the launch of the campaign, the Federation took the opportunity to present its analysis of recent tourism trends in the Balearic Islands. For the FEHM, the most significant factor is not so much the trend in the total number of visitors as the changes taking place in the types of accommodation used by tourists.
Figures published by the business association show that around 13 million visitors to Mallorca stayed in hotels last year, a figure that represents approximately seven out of every ten tourists who visited the Balearic Islands. However, this sector experienced a decrease of about 2%. At the same time, regulated vacation rentals reached 2.4 million tourists, which represents a 14.7% increase compared to the previous year.
There was also an increase in stays at visitors’ homes, at the homes of relatives or friends, and in other forms of accommodation outside the conventional tourism sector. This group accounted for about 2.6 million visitors, 10.4% more than in 2024.
The debate on the tourism model
Based on this data, the Federation refocused its attention on the evolution of the islands’ accommodation model and the growing importance of options other than traditional hotels. The business association maintains that a significant portion of recent tourism growth is taking place outside of accommodation channels subject to the same levels of regulation, taxation, and administrative oversight as hotel establishments.
According to the FEHM, this trend raises questions about the ability to regulate certain activities and their impact on areas such as housing, transportation, public services, and land use planning. The organization also noted that, in the last twelve years, the number of hotel rooms has increased by barely 6%, while regulated vacation rentals have grown by almost 176%.
In this context, the Federation maintains that the debate on tourism should not be limited to the total number of visitors a destination receives, but should also take into account how demand and the revenue generated by each type of accommodation are distributed.
During the presentation, Vich also highlighted the transformation the hotel sector has undergone in recent years. He argued that the sector has focused much of its efforts on improving the quality of its services, modernizing its establishments, and strengthening working conditions, especially after the measures included in the latest collective bargaining agreement for the hospitality industry.
“The industry has understood for more than a decade that the challenge was not to grow more, but to do so more efficiently,” said the president of the FEHM.
Representatives of the business association also took the opportunity to highlight the role of the hotel sector as an industry subject to zoning regulations, administrative inspections, taxation, and specific labor obligations. From their perspective, the debate on the sustainability of the tourism model must take into account not only the number of visitors, but also the differences between the various forms of accommodation and their impact on society as a whole.
Presence in the main transport corridors
The campaign will run throughout June, July, and August across 14 advertising spaces located at various points in Mallorca.
The first installations have already been launched in Palma and along some of the island’s main transport routes, including Eusebi Estada, the Vía de Cintura, El Molinar, and the airport access roads. Installations have also been set up in the Alcúdia area.
Over the next few weeks, the campaign will be expanded to other municipalities and tourist resorts, such as Campos, Felanitx-Portocolom, Sa Coma, Montuïri, Magaluf, and Andratx. According to the FEHM, the selection of these locations is part of a strategy aimed at maximizing the visibility of the messages in areas with high foot traffic from both visitors and residents.
The goal is for the campaign to reach all groups involved in tourism in one way or another and reinforce an idea that the business association considers central to this year’s initiative: that the preservation of the elements that make the destination attractive ultimately depends on the involvement of all stakeholders.
The industry association’s forecasts also point to a possible extension of tourist activity beyond the high season. Although he acknowledged that not all destinations maintain the same level of activity during the fall, Vich considered that having around 70% of hotels open in November would be “a success for everyone,” both from an economic and an employment standpoint.
When asked about the possibility of the Balearic Islands reaching 20 million visitors this year, the president of the FEHM downplayed the figure and argued that the analysis of tourism activity should focus more and more on the value generated rather than the simple growth in the number of tourists. He argued that the increases recorded in recent years are occurring mainly outside of the peak season months.
Along the same lines, Vich reiterated the Federation’s support for the Pact for Sustainability promoted by the regional government, an initiative he described as a “historic opportunity” to address the destination’s future challenges. “We believe in the pact and continue working on it. We hope it goes as far as necessary,” he said.
The launch of the campaign therefore served to convey a twofold message: on the one hand, the desire of hoteliers to promote a message of coexistence and shared responsibility between residents and visitors; On the other hand, the promotion of a tourism model that, according to the business association, must continue to advance toward greater quality, sustainability, and the creation of value for society as a whole.
