Why do Americans like Mallorca…

Why do Americans like Mallorca…

The Spanish island of Mallorca has long been a popular vacation destination for Europeans, but it is also gaining popularity in the United States. Indeed, in recent years, Mallorca has become an increasingly sought-after destination for American tourists, thanks to its natural beauty, cultural richness and thriving culinary scene.

One of the reasons Mallorca is attracting more and more American tourists is the growth of the island’s tourism industry. Hotels in Mallorca have recently invested heavily in renovations and improvements, greatly enhancing the stay experience for visitors. In addition, airlines have increased the number of direct flights from the U.S. to Mallorca, making it easier for U.S. tourists to reach the island.

Mallorca’s natural beauty is also a major draw for American visitors. The beaches of the island are among the most beautiful in the Mediterranean, with crystal clear waters and spectacular scenery. Hikers can explore the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana, while water sports enthusiasts can enjoy sailing, snorkeling and paddle-boarding.

But Majorca is not limited to its natural beauty. The island also has a rich culture and fascinating history, which attracts American tourists looking for new experiences. Palma, the island’s capital, is full of historical sites such as the Santa Maria Cathedral and Bellver Castle. Mallorca’s museums, such as the Es Baluard Museum of Contemporary Art and the Palma Archaeological Museum, are also popular attractions for tourists.

Finally, Mallorca’s gastronomic scene is booming, with local chefs mixing local ingredients to create a cuisine that blends tradition and modernity. Visitors can try dishes such as paella, sobrassada (local sausage), frito mallorquin (meat dish) and fish empanadas.

Mallorca’s success in the U.S. can be attributed to a combination of factors, including investment in the tourism industry, the island’s natural beauty, its rich culture and fascinating history, and its thriving food scene. If you’re an American tourist looking for a unique vacation destination, Mallorca may be the perfect destination.

Majorca the golf paradise

Majorca the golf paradise

Mallorca, one of the Balearic Islands in Spain, has become a popular destination for golf enthusiasts from around the world. With a pleasant year-round climate, world-class golf courses and beautiful scenery, Mallorca has become a top destination for golfers.

Majorca offers a variety of golf courses designed by renowned architects such as Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Sr. and José María Olazábal. The courses are designed for all levels of players, from beginners to experienced professionals. Each of the courses is unique and offers different challenges, with bunkers, ponds, hills and trees, providing an unforgettable golfing experience.

Most of the golf courses in Mallorca are located in beautiful areas and offer breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. Golfers can play on courses located in the mountains, on cliffs, in natural parks or on the coast. The most popular courses include Golf Son Gual, Golf Alcanada, Golf Santa Ponsa, Golf Son Quint and Golf Son Muntaner.

Apart from the golf courses, Mallorca also offers a wide variety of activities for visitors. The white sandy beaches, rocky coves and crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea offer endless possibilities for swimming, snorkeling, diving and other water sports. Hiking in the countryside also offers a unique opportunity to discover the natural beauty of the island.

The towns and villages of Mallorca are also to be discovered with their historical and cultural heritage. The old town of Palma, the island’s capital, offers sites such as the Palma Cathedral and the Royal Palace of the Almudaina. Small villages such as Deia and Valldemossa also offer a unique experience with their stone houses, narrow streets and picturesque views.

Mallorca is easily accessible from Europe with many direct flights. Golfers can choose from a variety of accommodations, ranging from luxury hotels to private villas. Many golf courses also offer golf and stay packages to make the vacation more convenient.

In short, Mallorca is a golfing paradise. With its world-class golf courses, beautiful scenery and numerous activities, Mallorca is a must-see destination for golf enthusiasts.

THE MARINAS OF CALVIÁ

THE MARINAS OF CALVIÁ

The Marinas de Calviá is a popular destination for sea lovers and water sports enthusiasts. Located on the west coast of Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, these marinas offer easy access to some of the most beautiful waters in the Mediterranean. They have three main ports: Puerto Portals, Port Adriano and Santa Ponsa. Each of these ports has its own characteristics and attractions.

Puerto Portals is the largest of the three, with more than 600 moorings for boats up to 60 meters long. There is a wide selection of restaurants and luxury stores along the harbor, as well as boat and jet ski rental services. The port also hosts numerous events throughout the year, including regattas, music festivals and art exhibitions.

Port Adriano is a more recent port that was redeveloped in 2012 by the famous designer Philippe Starck. It has 492 moorings for boats up to 80 meters long. The port also has a yacht club, quality stores and restaurants, and a diving center. Port Adriano is particularly popular with luxury boat owners, thanks to its modern and elegant design.

Santa Ponsa is a smaller marina, with 522 berths for boats up to 20 meters long. It is popular with local boaters and fishermen, and has many services, such as boat repair shops and restaurants. The marina also hosts events throughout the year, including fishing competitions and music festivals.

The Marinas de Calvia also offer many activities for visitors who do not own a boat. Activities include diving, snorkeling, boat and jet ski rentals, and boat trips to the beautiful scenery of Mallorca’s west coast.

In summary, the Marinas de Calviá are a destination of choice for sea lovers and water sports enthusiasts. The ports of Puerto Portals, Port Adriano and Santa Ponsa each offer a unique experience, with services and attractions for all tastes. Whether you are an experienced boat owner or an occasional visitor, the Marinas de Calviá are an ideal place to enjoy the beauty of the Mediterranean.

Spring in Calvià

Spring in Calvià

Calvià is a municipality located in the southwestern part of the island of Mallorca, Spain. This region is famous for its beautiful beaches, mountains and mild climate. Spring is a wonderful season in Calvià, as the temperatures are mild, the flowers are in full bloom and the scenery is breathtaking.

Spring in Calvià usually begins in March and continues until May. During this period, the average temperature oscillates between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, which is ideal to enjoy the sun without getting too hot. The days are longer and the evenings are warmer, allowing visitors to enjoy all the activities the area has to offer.

One of the main advantages of spring in Calvià is the nature. The hills are green and flowery, the trees are in bloom, the birds are singing and the butterflies are fluttering. Nature reserves such as the Sierra de Tramuntana offer breathtaking hiking trails to discover the natural beauty of the area.

The beaches of Calvià are also a major attraction. Indeed, spring is the ideal time to enjoy the beach, because there are fewer people than in summer. Sandy beaches such as Palmanova beach and Santa Ponsa beach offer the perfect setting to relax and enjoy the sun.

Spring is also a season for festivals in Calvià. The festival of Sant Joan Baptista, which takes place in May, is one of the most important events in the region. During the festival, the streets of Calvià are filled with people dancing and singing, while fireworks light up the sky.

Finally, spring in Calvià offers many activities for the whole family. There are amusement parks like Kathmandu Park, which offers attractions for all ages. There are also golf courses for golf lovers, equestrian centers for horse lovers and go-kart tracks for those who like speed.

In conclusion, spring in Calvià is a wonderful season that offers many activities for all tastes. Whether you like nature, beaches, festivals or family activities, you will find something to do in this beautiful region. With mild temperatures, breathtaking scenery and a friendly atmosphere, Calvià is an ideal destination for an unforgettable spring getaway.

Majorca seems to be the new “Hollywood” of the Mediterranean

Majorca seems to be the new “Hollywood” of the Mediterranean

A new giant movie studio will be built in Marratxi

Mallorca is seeking a leading role in the film industry with plans announced to build a giant movie studio in Marratxi. The project is supported by the City Council of Mallorca with the support of the Mallorca Film Commission.

Not only will the film studio be built on a 5,000 square meter site, but it will also include a water shooting tank. The announcement comes after the successful filming of a number of movies and series on the island, including Lioness with Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman, parts of the Netflix series 5 and 6, The Crown, and the Hollywood movie, Hustle with Adam Sandler. Local authorities say dozens of international film production companies want to shoot on the island.

The Council of Marratxi has already given the green light to the project and the construction work will start soon. The fact that the studios will have a water tank will also give the project an even greater boost.

Spain: The Balearic Islands freeze their hotel stock for four years to avoid tourist saturation

Spain: The Balearic Islands freeze their hotel stock for four years to avoid tourist saturation

The regional government of the Balearic Islands(Spain) passed a law on Friday prohibiting the increase in the number of hotel rooms or tourist accommodation for four years. The objective is to limit the risk of tourist saturation once the Covid-19 crisis is over.

This text makes it impossible to create new hotel rooms and the marketing of new tourist accommodation in the Spanish archipelago until 2026. After this period, it will be up to the island councils of the four Balearic islands(Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera) to set their boundaries.

A measure criticized by the opposition

The objective is to “bet on the quality” of the tourist offer more than on its quantity, assured on Twitter the socialist president of the region, Francina Armengol, defending a measure turned “towards the future”. It is necessary to think “not only of the visitors but also of the inhabitants, the workers and the territory”, insisted the elected representative, judging necessary not to return to the model of the pre-pandemic, once the health crisis is over.

However, the measure was criticized by the opposition, such as the right-wing Popular Party, which regretted that the regional government had adopted it by decree, “without public debate” in the regional parliament.

Real estate prices: increases by 6% in the Balearic Islands and is already the most expensive community

Real estate prices: increases by 6% in the Balearic Islands and is already the most expensive community

Housing prices have increased by 5.9% in the Balearic Islands in a year, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics ( INE ) corresponding to the fourth quarter of 2022, which place the archipelago as the Community with the highest price index in absolute terms. The Balearic Islands remain the most expensive region despite the fact that prices fell by 1.1% compared to the previous quarter, moving away from the historical high reached during the months of July to September 2022.

Behind the Balearic Islands, the next Community with the highest prices is Madrid, followed by Catalonia, while the least expensive is Extremadura, followed by Castilla – La Mancha and Castilla y León. The archipelago is the most expensive community for new and used housing. New housing has become more expensive by 6.5% in one year and by 0.9% compared to the previous quarter; second-hand housing has fallen by 1.4% between quarters but is 5.8% more expensive than a year earlier.

Data from the INE show that used housing in the Balearic Islands is more expensive than new housing in most of the autonomous communities. Similarly, in the fourth quarter of 2022, the price in the Balearic Islands is 12.2% higher than in the same period of 2007 and 71.3% higher than the minimum reached in early 2013.

U.S. enters Mallorca with record number of tourists and investments in luxury homes

U.S. enters Mallorca with record number of tourists and investments in luxury homes

The connections of the American market with the Balearic territory are increasingly strong. To the record number of tourist visits last year with the activation of the New York-Palma route, it is worth adding a growing interest in real estate investment which, among other things, led to the landing in Mallorca of The Agency, a prestigious luxury real estate agency in the United States recently popularized through a Netflix docudrama. The opening of the Portals Nous franchise, the agency’s first in Spain, took place last week in the midst of a debate on the possibility of limiting home sales to foreigners to curbthe rise in real estate prices in the Balearic Islands. A seemingly hostile scenario that did not stop the implementation of the project.

“It seems unlikely to me that this will ever happen,” says franchise director Alby Euesden, who acknowledges, however, that the headlines may worry investors. Although the College of Registrars does not offer data broken down by community, state statistics prove the growing interest of investors in Spain, which doubled last year (from 534 to 1,046). Its roadmap is to operate in the Ponent region, focusing on selected areas of Palma, Calvià and Andratx. The American client, logically, will be the priority, even if the agency will work with all kinds of nationalities, especially the Germans and the British most inclined to real estate investment on the island.

Euesden, who was born in the UK but has lived in the Balearic Islands since childhood, says that his journey and that of The Agency came together at a time when the company was looking to consolidate its expansion in Europe. Mallorca has thus become the new base of operations for a company that already operates in a dozen countries and has chosen the island as its gateway to Spain despite other options such as Madrid, Barcelona or Marbella.

On the other hand, the commitment to Mallorca is based on the growing interest of the American public in the islands, whose popularity factors such as their condition as a set for Hollywood productions, the presence of Michael Douglas or the opening of Son Bunyola, the new hotel of Richard Branson in the Tramuntana (the British millionaire is another well-known figure in the United States). “I realized that I was hearing more and more people with American accents in restaurants and other places in Palma,” says Euesden, referring to the reasons that led him to contact the Agency.

But if there was one factor that was truly decisive, it was the opening of the New York-Palma route, which pushed U.S. visits to 167,930 arrivals in 2022. The figure exceeds the pre-pandemic records but remains well below those of the main source markets of the Balearic Islands. Overall, the United Airlift and its impact on the U.S. connection has been a source from which the growing real estate interest in the islands has drawn. Moreover, the success of this route has led this year to extend the flight period from May to October (in 2022 it was limited to June to September).

Economic ties are growing stronger on both sides of the Atlantic and with these ingredients, it is no coincidence that Mallorca was the place chosen by Turespaña to hold the support for the marketing of Spanish destinations on the American and Canadian markets from April 18 to 20. North American travel agents and tour operators interested in marketing Spanish tourism products and services will participate in the event.

The ban on foreign property in the Balearic Islands is a violation of EU law

Left-wing parties continue to push for restrictions on non-resident investment

The Balearic government risks violating European legislation on the prohibition of foreign property. | Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter

Humphrey CarterPalma 02/28/2023 12:48 PM

Prohibiting the purchase of homes by non-residents in the Balearic Islands, as proposed by the Balearic Government, is directly contrary to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as this measure would be considered directly discriminatory in that it benefits Spanish citizens and harms those of other Member States.

This is the conclusion of the report on the compatibility with European Union law of the limitation on the purchase of housing in the Balearic Islands prepared for the Asociación Empresarial De Promotores Constructores De Baleares (Proinba).

Proinba warns that a regulatory measure prohibiting or restricting the purchase of housing in the Balearic Islands by non-residents “would restrict the two fundamental freedoms of the Treaty, such as freedom of establishment and free movement of capital.

This report, prepared by the law firm Uría Menéndez, analyzes the compatibility with European Union law of a law hypothetical prohibiting or restricting the purchase of housing in the Balearic Islands by natural or legal persons not residing in the islands or by persons having a period of residence in the community of less than five years.

They warn that this measure “would be directly contrary” to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as well as to the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

In addition, they point out that the Act of Accession of Spain to the EU does not contain any exceptions to the application of these rights, so that the restrictions would not be covered by it.

The report also points out that the government’s proposed measure would be considered indirectly discriminatory by benefiting Spanish citizens and disadvantaging those from other EU member states. “This fact alone would be sufficient for the measure to be contrary to EU law,” they add.

The High Court of Justice of the EU has repeatedly confirmed that restrictions on the sale and purchase of real estate imposed by Member States are, in themselves, restrictions on the freedom of establishment and the free movement of capital.

Elementor #21825

The Balearic Islands are preparing to welcome 11 million hotel guests this season

Calvia and Palma in the top 5 vacation destinations in Spain

Another record year for Balearic tourism. | Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter

Humphrey CarterPalma
22/02/2023 16:11

FJOM1

The Balearic Islands should lead the recovery of the hotel sector in Spain in 2023 and should attract 10.8 million hotel guests this year, according to the director of CBRE Hotels in Spain and Portugal, Jorge Ruiz, at the meeting organized by CaixaBank and CBRE with businessmen from the hotel sector in Palma.

The meeting, held at CaixaForum, brought together more than 50 businessmen from the sector to analyze the current situation and prospects for 2023.

Ruiz highlighted that, of the total amount of transactions in Spain in 2022, the Balearic Islands represented 27% of transactions, accumulating an investment of more than 800 million; or the fact that, among the Spanish tourist destinations with the highest RevPar (revenue per available room), 40% are located in the Balearic Islands.

In addition, the Balearic Islands is the second autonomous community in Spain that has accumulated
the most overnight stays in 2022
and the municipalities of
Palma and Calvia are among the top five favorite vacation destinations in Spain.

“The Balearic market is very attractive,” said Ruiz. The consulting firm expects that the Balearic Islands will continue to increase their demand in the coming years, given that “they have a higher level of development than other vacation destinations in Spain and will continue to improve their results in the coming years”.
According to CBRE forecasts, the ADR (average daily rate) in Spain will be 110 euros in 2025, while in the Balearic Islands it is expected to be 20% higher, at 132
euros
.

CaixaBank Research tourism economist Javier Ibáñez de Aldecoa predicted a relatively positive outlook for the tourism industry in 2023, as the sector undertook price increases in 2022 to meet strong demand, allowing it to defend its margins and prepare for increased costs to persist in 2023.

He also added that “tourism demand is resilient and still has
room to grow
compared to 2022″.