The Balearic Government takes advantage of Fitur to announce a new system for monitoring the beaches of the Balearic Islands

PalmThe Balearic Islands' institutional representatives have arrived at the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) in Madrid with the mission of demonstrating that the Islands are a sustainable destination and that the shift in the tourism model is already a reality, despite the fact that the record for all of 2024, with 18.7 million visitors, had already been reached in November 2025 – a figure not yet reached. "Prohens reaffirms at Fitur the change in the tourism model promoted by the Government, based on containing tourist flows, social and economic sustainability, innovation, and reducing seasonality": this is the headline of the press release published by the Government this Wednesday, following President Marga Prohens's speech at the Balearic Islands stand. Prohens indicated that the beach occupancy monitoring application will be launched in the second quarter of this year – the system will also report water temperature and the flag flying on the coast. Beyond providing information, the app will not impose any real capacity limits on beaches, other than residents and tourists deciding whether or not to go. Prohens explained that sensors will be installed on "hundreds of beaches" and the information will be made public on a web platform, according to Europa Press. This is the second time the Government has announced beach monitoring, after assuring in April 2024 that a pilot program would be launched. The cost of this system will be four million euros over two years.

Prohens also highlighted the progress made in reducing the seasonality of tourism and transforming the model, while also emphasizing the Government's commitment to positioning the Islands as a cultural destination – Palma's candidacy for European Capital of Culture fits within this framework. The president also touted the Balearic Islands' "tourism leadership" in the European Union and how this "success" is combined with the "well-being" of residents. "Tourism is and will continue to be welcome," she affirmed, criticizing the lack of investment that causes "an imbalance between tourists and residents." According to the president, 2025 has been "a historic milestone" in terms of "real deseasonalization," with a containment of flows during the peak months—with a slight increase in tourists—and "unprecedented" growth in the off-season, resulting in the Balearic Islands registering a record number of visitors once again this year. When asked about this annual increase, Prohens attributed the imbalance between tourists and residents to a lack of investment, not to the nature of the model itself. The Consell de Mallorca is pleased: the island will have a direct air connection with Abu Dhabi.

For its part, the Consell de Mallorca also referred to tourism containment and the commitment to "intelligent tourism." This containment will not be aided by the Etihad airline, which will connect Palma with Abu Dhabi starting in June with three weekly flights. The Council stated in its press release that the new route "will transform Mallorca into an international connecting airport and open the door for residents to destinations in the Middle East and Asia." "The change of course initiated this legislative term, with bold containment policies and a commitment to responsible tourism, is beginning to bear fruit," highlighted the president of the island institution, Llorenç Galmés.

The Consell's statement also emphasizes the role of the Smart Destination Platform (PID), although it did not specify any concrete measures that this tool entails. All the island institution communicated on the matter were generalities: "It places the tourism and culture pairing at the heart of the destination's positioning"; "It recognizes data and technology as fundamental tools for responsibly managing tourism"; "the objective is to improve the quality of life of residents, guarantee the sustainability of the destination, and strengthen Mallorca's competitiveness"... But no concrete measures to be implemented. The Mallorca PID has a budget of 4.8 million euros and will be launched in June, according to the Consell's statement.