British tourists are continuing to flock to Spain's Balearic Islands despite two summers of anti-tourism protests, new data shows. Airports in the region recorded a 2.4% year-on-year increase in international passenger numbers between January and October 2025, with 15,628,717 arrivals, according to figures from Turespaña, the Tourism Institute of Spain.
The UK accounted for the largest share of visitors, with 2.2 million Britons arriving in Spain in October alone, a 4.4% rise compared to the same month in 2024. This represented 21.7% of all international tourists to the country. October also saw a 14.6% increase in visitors from Ireland. Most passengers used low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair, with 10.9 million travellers opting for budget carriers.
Palma de Mallorca airport has become the third busiest in Spain, behind Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona El Prat, handling 11,936,115 tourists this year, up 2.3% from 2024. Tourist spending also rose, with visitors staying an average of a week and spending €1,380 (£1,217) per person.
Despite the overall increase, Ibiza saw 20,000 fewer British visitors during the peak summer months, prompting concern from local officials. Jaume Bauza, Ibiza's Minister of Tourism, described the summer drop as "worrying" but noted that Britons may be shifting their breaks to the shoulder season of September and October, when it is cheaper and less crowded. He reiterated that British tourists "are, and will always be, warmly welcome" and encouraged them to participate in the islands' transformation.
The Balearics, particularly Majorca, have seen anti-tourism protests, with around 10,000 people marching in Palma in June over issues such as rising house prices. Graffiti slogans including 'tourist go home' appeared over the summer. However, the data suggests that such protests have not deterred the majority of British holidaymakers.
