The enormous influence that Balearic politicians allow the hotelier guild to have, which can be called 'hotelism', explains why the tourism model has not changed for more than seven decades. Also why so many directly related problems have been created, from the very business that now impoverishes the social whole to the captive economic structure of a monoculture that dangerously weakens its potential, passing through so many others, such as demographic substitution. None of this worries hotelism in the least, for which the only thing that matters is satisfying the greed of these entrepreneurs.It is worth saying that the responsibility lies not so much with the hoteliers as with those who allow themselves to be influenced and often determined, the politicians. The right-wing have never hidden their submission, while the left-wing and nationalists may be ashamed of it – some – and deny it, but practice when they have governed betrays the same vassalage. This docile brotherhood has been a reality since 2003, although the influence is older.The first time it manifested was in 1955: peak of the dictatorship, beginnings of mass tourism, first travel operators who brought more visitors each year, inns that from one day to the next became hotels, houses rented whole or by rooms and that each year grew with new attached rooms – there was no urban planning control – the Mortgage Bank that granted generous credits to build hotels and each season a handful of them appeared on the sand of some beach...The progression of the business was so rapid and uncontrolled that some politicians of the Diputació – who must not have had hotel interests, neither direct nor indirect – began to worry about the growing disorder. And since they thought – ingenuously – that it was up to them to remedy it, they decided to approve the Report and project of the Provincial Charter – published in the official provincial bulletin on December 30, 1955 –, in which, among other measures, a special tax was launched for tourist establishments – hotels, pensions and others – and the prohibition of building on the coastal sandbanks.The hoteliers saw it more or less like the advent of the Soviet revolution. They allied themselves with the cream of institutional fascism – the Organization movement and the Civil Government – and directed the Foment del Turisme against the initiative. The Foment presented allegations – it had the official Madrid behind it – and the outcome was as predictable as could be: the attempt to limit hotel greed was aborted and the president and other members of the Diputación resigned – for ‘personal reasons’ – the following year.In practice, it was the green light for absolute chaos. In the following 20 years, the hotel industry sowed the first line of new constructions: 'Balearization'. With the 1973 oil crisis, tourism declined and did not fully recover until 10 years later, coinciding with the invention of autonomy.Back then – in 1983 – other de facto powers still existed. For example: Vaticanism and Banca March. The financial institution, for instance, determined who would be the first President of the Government, Gabriel Cañellas – from Alianza Popular, AP, today PP – when the general director, Carlos March, forced a meeting in his Madrid office between Cañellas and the head of Unió Mallorquina – which had the key deputies – Jeroni Albertí, who had bank guarantees that – according to what he said in an interview in Memòria Viva. Mallorca des de la mort de Franco fins avui, Promomallorca, 1995– did not allow him to be "economically free" and he had no choice but to make Cañellas president, closing off the options for the socialist Fèlix Pons. And his own, not least because he aspired to force a deadlock that his election could break.Forming the Government in such a ignominious manner cannot be surprising that the tourism policy it launched was also infamous: satisfying hotel greed. The left opposed it and when it came to power, in 1999, it began the conflict strategy with the hoteliers – designed by a Catalan consultant, from the PSC – which involved imposing an ecotax as a first step of the future reform of tourism. But the PP of Jaume Matas won in 2003 and the losers assumed that the war against the hoteliers had been the cause.From then on, the hotel industry reached its maximum splendor. The PSOE, the far-left, and progressive nationalism joined forces with the right and paid them homage. The second Pact of Progress (2007-2011) and the subsequent left-wing Governments (2015-2023) certified this.More than 70 years have passed since the first failed attempt to limit hotel power, in 1955. Many things have improved since then, but there is one thing that, if it has changed, has only gotten worse. And it doesn't look like it will improve in the coming years: triumphant hoteliering.

The tourist rental employers' association Habtur has responded to the proposal by hoteliers in the Balearic Islands to modify the Tourism Law and use the Property Registry to control properties intended for medium-term rentals. The association of tourist homes considers it "surprising" that the hotel sector seeks to decide "once again" how an economic activity that is not theirs should be regulated.

The Hotel Business Federation of Mallorca (FEHM) expressed this Tuesday its respect for the demonstration called against the tourist saturation planned for July in Palma, but has harshly criticized the narrative of the protest, which it considers "uses tourism as a punching bag".

The Spanish tourism sector has opened a new front of confrontation with the Ministry of the Interior over the traveler registry. The main hotel and travel agency associations have called for the repeal of Royal Decree 933/2021 after the European Commission opened an infringement procedure against Spain for possible violations in the processing of personal data.

The history of Melià Hotels International in Cuba can only be understood within the economic shift experienced by the Caribbean island in the late eighties and early nineties. With the fall of the Soviet bloc between 1989 and 1991, Cuba loses its main economic support and enters the so-called Special Period, a stage of profound crisis marked by a lack of foreign currency, scarcity of basic products, and the collapse of a large part of productive activity.

The Majorca Hotel Business Federation (FEHM), based on information gathered from hotel associations and affiliated chains, forecasts an average occupancy rate of around 70% for this Easter week, in line with last year's results. These forecasts come in an international context marked by geopolitical uncertainty, although the hotel sector highlighted the stability of tourist demand for Mallorca thanks to the strength of the destination. The hotel opening rate will reach 92%, two percentage points higher than last year, confirming the consolidation of the early season and the progressive expansion of the tourist calendar.

Sources at FEHM insist on the need to "remain cautious" given the current international context, marked by constant changes and a geopolitical situation that requires "continuous monitoring due to its effects on the economy and international mobility." They also reiterate the message conveyed during ITB Berlin, stating that "the sector's wish is for the armed conflicts and human suffering in both the Middle East and Ukraine to end as soon as possible."

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A projective test is a psychological assessment tool that detects emotional or personality-related aspects. The projective technique is based on the ability to elicit unconscious reactions in the subject through ambiguous stimuli, reactions that, in some way, reveal aspects of their personality: likes and dislikes, values, priorities, and so on.

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The Balearic Islands Biotechnology and Biomedical Cluster (BIOIB) has conducted a study on hotel chambermaids, which found that 90 percent suffer from overwork at the end of their shifts, and 75 percent suffer from sleep deprivation and stress, according to Europa Press. These are some of the figures released by physiotherapist Isabel Ruiz, a member of the study team, which surveyed 40 professionals in the sector. 70% of the workers do not exercise, and 85% are overweight. All of this implies that between 35% and 40% of the analyzed workforce would have been on sick leave at some point during 2025. However, Ruiz acknowledged that this situation is motivated by a "lack of time," which, combined with "physical overload" and "stress," creates a combination that affects the body. Ruiz asserted that "there is a lack of awareness on both sides," because even if a company introduces a physiotherapy service, if it doesn't allow an employee to use it with a reduced work schedule, "it's useless." The expert urged both companies and employees to contribute, because if resources are made available to the workforce, they will be able to perform better, productivity will increase, and losses due to absenteeism will be reduced. Furthermore, the employee will improve their health and be more satisfied. Promoting a change in habits is essential.

The physiotherapist argued that hotel chambermaids "don't need to exercise because the job is already demanding." The body adapts its mechanisms to daily activity, and if it's always the same, "it's ineffective." She emphasized the need to stimulate the heart, lungs, and circulation with "different habits." "Perhaps nothing extraordinary is needed; doing something two days a week or going for a walk is enough, but it's necessary to incorporate something that breaks the routine the body has developed," she stressed. She also underlined that companies must address problems "before they arise," because by the time they do, the workers have already gone on sick leave, and absenteeism rates remain the same.

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The Hotel Business Federation of Mallorca (FEHM) announced this Thursday that it intends to seek out new markets, such as Canada and the Middle East, to further extend the tourist season.

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Hotelier Jaime de Juan y Pons has passed away at the age of 85. Remembered for his strength and desire to enjoy life, De Juan, born in Sóller but adopted by Silloter, was one of the great entrepreneurs of the tourist island that began in the 1960s. Despite life's obstacles, he always continued to move forward with determination.

]]> This July, we've experienced a considerable media offensive by the "tourism" industry, which was supposed to be "making a killing" at this point.

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Hoteliers point to illegal tourist rentals as one of the main culprits of overcrowding in the Balearic Islands. In fact, the Consell de Mallorca—which has jurisdiction over tourism regulations—has focused its efforts on combating this activity. The inspection plan prepared by the island's authority for 2025 directs 75% of its actions toward illegal tourist offerings. Twenty percent of the inspections are geared toward responding to citizen complaints and claims, while only the remaining 5% focus on potential irregularities in the legal offering, such as hotel overcrowding, circularity, excess tourism, and the verification of the 3% local product.

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The president and CEO of Melià Hotels, Gabriel Escarrer, called for a reluctance to attack tourism, an industry that "creates wealth" and generates "quality employment." In social media posts reported by Europa Press, Escarrer referred to what he called "irresponsible anti-tourism campaigns by some" that, in his opinion, instead of contributing to improving the management of the sector, prefer to "demonize and harm it."

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