Spain holidays: Mallorca fears New Year wipe-out as British tourists stay away

Travel ban: Epidemiologist says ‘closing borders does not work’

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Hoteliers on the island have said they fear that people with bookings made for the New Year and January will not show up. Some described the industry as “paralysed”.

One owner said: “It’s absolutely due to the latest restrictions approved, mainly by the British and German Governments, to root out the contagion of Omicron during the next two weeks.

“The situation is worrying and the only thing that saves us is that we are in the middle of low season.”

The hotel association of Palma, the capital of Mallorca, confirmed that many reservations would not materialise.

It said: “There are few cancellations but reservations that have been made can become what we call no show, that is they do not appear.

“The flexibility that prevails throughout Europe due to the pandemic means any tourist who does not show up at the establishment that he has reserved is exempt from paying any kind of penalty.”

European airline groups including Lufthansa have already announced the mass cancellation of flights to the Balearic islands.

Ryanair recently announced it had cut its planned January schedule by one third due to travel restrictions.

British holidaymakers are worried about travelling due to possible restrictions and the cost of tests.

According to local press on the island, only one specific type of tourism is holding up on Mallorca.

Couples tourism is doing very well on the island as well as on the other top Balearic destinations.

Javier Vich, president of the Palma and Cala Mayor hotel association, told Diario de Mallorca: “If the bookings of this tourist segment for New Year are maintained, the forecast is for an occupancy of around 60 percent.

“But the problem is that these reservations still have to be confirmed with guests turning up otherwise they will fall as well.”

Many municipalities within the Balearics have seen Covid cases rise, leading some nightclubs to cancel planned New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Spain has now reintroduced compulsory face mask wearing in all outdoor areas across the country.

The region of Murcia has implemented a curfew where non essential businesses have to close between one and six in the morning.

Nightclubs will also have to close their dancefloors under the strict new rules in the region.

Unvaccinated British tourists are banned from travelling to Spain in tough new entry rules to combat the Omicron variant.

British tourists will need to take a pre-departure test before travelling back into the UK from Spain.

They will need to take a PCR test on or before day two after arrival in the UK and isolate until they receive a negative result.

British tourists should check travel restrictions for Spain on the UK Government website before leaving as rules can change rapidly.

Additional reporting by Rita Sobot.

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