The travel warning for Mallorca has been lifted. Holidays on the most popular holiday island for Germans are possible again without quarantine and without the obligation to test after returning. But what is the current situation on site? And what can holidaymakers expect this season? Lucía Escribano, Director of Tourism on Mallorca, spoke about this with the dpa topic service at the ITB digital travel fair.
The island is ready to open
“Some hotels will reopen as early as Easter,” said Escribano. German tour operators want to bring vacationers back to Mallorca over the festive season. Excursion destinations such as cathedrals and fortresses as well as shops are already open.
For the time being, holidays in Mallorca will continue to take place under the conditions of the pandemic. “Some restrictions will likely apply until summer, such as the requirement to wear a face mask, keep your distance and reserve tables in restaurants,” says Escribano. The mask must be worn wherever you are among people, e.g. in pedestrian zones and when entering shops. Exceptions apply, for example, on the beach or during sports.
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Peace in nature instead of partying and drinking
A return to the old Mallorca times with parties in large discos is unlikely to happen this summer either. Event locations are only allowed to let in a limited number of people, the distance must always be maintained.
“It’s not that we don’t want people to dance and drink. But this year isn’t party time. It will be a quiet time, ”said Escribano. Active holidays and enjoying nature with the family are the focus this summer.
Mallorca wants to get away from the unrestrained drinking tourism of earlier days anyway and has already issued strict rules before Corona. “We no longer want all-inclusive hotels with bunk beds where six people stay in one room just to drink,” said the tourism director. “That brings nothing to the island’s economy and only uses up resources.”
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Much depends on the vaccinations
As in all areas of society, a return to real normalcy is only possible when the majority of people have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. According to Lucía Escribano, this also applies to tourism on Mallorca. “The faster everyone is vaccinated, the better.” The vaccinations are only making slow progress in Europe.
The exception is Great Britain, whose holidaymakers are traditionally also strongly represented on Mallorca. So the question arose who would be the first to throw his towel on the loungers – the British or the Germans? Does vaccination give British guests a strategic advantage, so to speak?
Lucía Escribano puts it into perspective: “We do not expect the same number of British guests as in other years.” The reasons are Brexit and the tense financial situation of many vacationers from Great Britain due to the consequences of the pandemic.
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No privileges for vaccinated and convalescent people
Some countries allow vaccinated people and those recovered from a corona infection to re-enter the country without any conditions – such as compulsory testing. In Mallorca, the signs are rather bad as long as the planned digital EU vaccination certificate has not been rolled out. “If we introduce such a form of permission, then it would have to be implemented across Spain,” stressed Escribano. The ball rests with the government in Madrid. The obligation to perform a PCR test will therefore remain for the time being.
In the long term, Mallorca would like to become even more sustainable. This means, among other things: less mass tourism, a better distribution of holidaymakers over the entire year, less consumption of resources, better control of traffic flows and fewer huge cruise ships at the same time in the port of Palma.
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