The President of Ibiza Consell, Vicent Torres, has said that Ibiza is enjoying one of its best seasons for tourism.
Speaking in advance of the island’s annual day of the tourist on 20th September, the president has drawn on air traffic statistics as the basis for his claim of a successful season.
Air Traffic Statistics
The Ibizan reported on the air traffic statistics for August 2018 last week. They show a drop of 3.2% in August, the first peak season drop since 2004, although the cumulative figures for the year to date are up 2.24%.
President Torres says that this demonstrates a successful season as the aim was never to increase business in July and August, but to spread out tourism more evenly over the season.
“The figures tell us that we are on the right track,” said Torres. “We have a cumulative of increase of 2.24% of passengers at the airport, despite having decreased in August. For now, we can say that this year we had a very good tourist season. We have confirmed the good prospects we announced to the fairs last winter”
Day of the Tourist
Torres was speaking at the presentation to announce the events of the Day of the Tourist that will be celebrated with different activities in the five municipalities, organized by the town councils and the Consell.
The programme starts on Thursday 20th and runs until Sunday 23rd. Included in the schedule are guided tours, open days, exhibitions, workshops and tastings related to the heritage, natural spaces, traditions and cuisine of the island.
The President said that the day of the tourist is a day that serves to “give public thanks to all the people who choose Ibiza for their holiday every year. We have to be very grateful and we have to convey the message to the citizens of Ibiza that we need to take care of tourism,” said the president, who is also responsible for the Department of Tourism of the Council.
The presentation was attended by the insular director of Tourism, Vicent Torres Ferrer, and the councilors of tourism of the five municipalities of the island.
The central act of the Day of the Tourist will be on Thursday 20 with a tribute to tourists who have been visiting Ibiza for more than 25 years, in gratitude for their loyalty.
Editorial Comment.
I am all for not talking ourselves into an unwarranted and counter-productive mire of despair, but to describe 2018 as one of Ibiza’s most successful seasons will be stretching positivity to beyond breaking point for the majority of tourism reliant businesses I have spoken to this year.
The Balearic Institute of Statistics produce a whole raft of tourism statistics. FITUR, EGATUR and Human Pressure Indicators all have useful counts, but the headline grabbing Air Traffic statistics produced by the airport authority AENA and quoted by the President in support of his claims, are the most fundamentally flawed of all. We explained why in our report on the August air traffic statistics last week.
If the president is putting a brave face on for the media, he may be forgiven for doing what he sees as his job and duty. But if he genuinely believes that 2018 is one of our best seasons he is alarmingly out of touch with the view on the street.
