Cruises on Mallorca: Industry rejects anti-predictions!

Cruises on Mallorca: Industry rejects anti-predictions!

The discussion about the future of the cruise industry on Mallorca is gaining new momentum. While the “Platform against the Mega Cruise Ships” assumes 546 ship arrivals in the port of Palma in 2023, the industry estimates the number at around 500. This estimate remains similar to the previous year. The Mallorca Magazine reports that the cruise industry is using an agreement concluded with the Balearic Islands government in 2021 as the basis for its planning, which is valid until 2027. This agreement allows a maximum of three cruise ships with over 500 passengers per day and only one with more than 5,000 guests, for a total of 8,500 passengers.

Beatriz Orejudo, managing director of Lantimar, is clear about the opponents' forecasts: "These projections are based on the off-season figures and are unrealistic." She also criticizes the fact that other areas of tourist massification in Palma should also be considered before checking cruise ship landings. In 2024, the number of cruise guests in Palma fell by 1.5% to 1.8 million, while the number of transit passengers fell by 4.5% to 318,000.

Growth of the cruise industry

However, significant growth in the cruise industry is expected for 2025. Loud My Mallorca A total of 541 ship calls are planned, which corresponds to an increase of 47 ships compared to the previous year. This brings an expected total of over 1.8 million passengers, representing more than 41,000 additional travelers.

The figures show that the upward trend in cruise tourism in Mallorca continues, although they remain behind the record numbers of 2019, when almost 600 ship arrivals were recorded. As usual, the highest number of landings is expected in the high season between May and August.

Impact on retail

Developments in the cruise industry also have an impact on the local economy. Retail sales fell from 37.1 million euros in 2019, when 2.2 million passengers were counted, to 31.8 million euros in 2024, when only 1.8 million passengers visited the island. In order to obtain more precise data, the cruise industry has asked the regional government to set up a maritime traffic observation center.

The conflicting views on the future development of Palma's cruise industry show that tensions remain between supporters and opponents. While the industry is sticking to its growth forecasts, it remains to be seen how this discussion will impact Mallorca's tourist landscape.