Seasonality analysis in Minorca (Balearic Islands)

Back from a long vacation period now it’s time to update last InnoBalears information, and this includes gaining the Ateneu de Maó price on tourism research last july. The price will be lended by September, but maybe here we can make a few comments on the research analysis performed and its main conclusions.

Minorca is a flat island in the Mediterranean Sea that forms part of the Balearic Islands, known in Europe by its sun&beach offer for tourists. This island has some particularities that have conditioned its touristic evolution comparing to the other more popular balearic islands: Majorca and Ibiza, but suffers the effects of seasonality in the same way as the other islands.

The study was about seasonality in Minorca island, and the most important conclusions of the study were:
– Certanly there is seasonality in Minorca Island, concentrated in the 6 months between April and October
-The tourism coming from Spain is definitely important in the low season, as most tourists come in this season from Spain
-The seasonality has had a low but continuous depression since year 2000
– In the last 10 years the category of Minorca hotels has improved from low to medium and high category, so the island is ready to host the profile of people that travel in the low season
– One of the reasons of the seasonality is the lack of transport by air or sea with the island
– The alternatives about seasonality in Minorca are three: the creation of new working models, to let the deseasonalization process that has started roll-out or to promote the deseasonalization.
– The promotion of deseasonalization is the most recommended initiative, through the development of a deseasonalization plan that includes all social agents in Minorca.
– The deseasonalization plan might include the participation on a international event at least once every ten years, the promotion of winter products in the target markets and the development of new touristic models designed for the island.

It is time now to promote research and innovation on tourism, and contests like this one are a good starting point.