Despair in Spain as empty restaurants beg for tourists with sales 50% down

Majorca's hospitality industry is struggling, leading figures have warned (Image: Getty)

Restaurant owners in Majorca are reportedly panicking after a drop in tourist bookings thought to be caused by higher fees, stricter regulations and anti-visitor sentiment. The first half of May has been "very bad" for the Spanish island's hospitality sector, the president of its restaurants association Restauración CAEB has revealed. Juanmi Ferrer told the Majorca Daily Bulletin that weeknight reservations have dropped by up to 50% in tourist-heavy areas, while weekend trade has fallen by around 10% compared to last year.

The fall in holidaymaker business - which makes up around 45% of the island's GDP - comes as international travellers face increased red tape, new rules and fees and an onslaught of anti-tourism demonstrations. Increased footfall has been disastrous for Majorca's housing market and vulnerable infrastructure, and locals have taken to the streets numerous times over the last year calling for better protection against the tide of globetrotters and second home owners.

Anti-tourist sentiment has come to a head in Majorca (Image: Getty)

Travellers flocking to the Balearic island during peak season will also be subject to an extra £5 per night under the local government's new tourist tax.

Mr Ferrer said May 1 and May 2 had brought normal levels of trade, but "the rest of the month has been lamentable".

"We don't expect the situation to improve, at least until May 25," he said. "We're writing off the month. We didn't expect this start to the season: you have to go back many years to find one this bad."

The hospitality boss added that the sharp drop-off in business could be linked to a bad weather front moving across Spain this month - but admitted that trade seemed to be on the downturn, with last year's incomings worse than in 2023.

Restauración CAEB warned of a 20% revenue drop in the first quarter of 2025 earlier this month - echoing the 20% drop also recorded in June 2024, which was attributed to lower tourist spending.

Mr Ferrer has described the hospitality industry as Majorca's "leading economic barometer" and warned that a consistent decrease in trading figures "will inevitably effect the entire local economy".

Despite the apparently alarm-raising news, overall tourism to the Balearics broke previous records in the first few months of 2025, with over 800,000 international travellers landing on the archipelago between January and March, a rise of nearly 4% on last year.

"In terms of spending, we are not seeing an increase, but quite the opposite, a decrease," Mr Ferrer warned. "We have more people spending less, it seems."

As well as being discouraged from longer says by tourist tax policies and hostile locals, holidaymakers have pointed the finger of blame at rising prices in Majorca's hospitality sector, with one angry Brit accusing the industry of "biting the hand" that feeds it.