The Institute of Tourist Strategy (Inestur) produces masses of statistics every month for Ibiza and the other Balearic Islands. With the world economy in dire straights, credit crunches, increasing interest rates and the falling stock markets and Pound Sterling, these statistics have become more important than ever.
Merchants of Doom predicted a very bad year for Ibiza, for all the above reasons plus the new laws on the island designed to curb daytime clubbing and illegal drug use. Well surprise, surprise, the
number of tourists visiting Ibiza up to the end of August has declined by only around 2% against the previous year.
Last year 1.76 million people arrived by air and sea, and this year it's 1.73 million in the same period – and remember, 2007 was one of the best years Ibiza has had for a long, long time. It
seems that people are determined to take their holidays whatever the economic situation!
However it isn't all good news. People aren't spending so much of their hard earned cash whilst they're here. Shops and all but the top restaurants say their takings are well down on last year whilst
local supermarkets are doing really well as visitors ecomomise by purchasing food and drinks in them.
It just shows that even in a recession there are winners and losers!