Ibiza's president Vicent Marí has defended the island's new direct connection with New York, insisting that the route does not contradict the Consell d'Eivissa's policy of tourism containment.

His comments come after United Airlines announced a new direct service between Newark and Ibiza starting in 2027, with four weekly flights in each direction. The route will be the first nonstop connection between Ibiza and the United States.

“We Are Not Looking to Grow for the Sake of Growing”

Marí says the objective is not simply to bring more tourists to Ibiza.

Instead, he argues that the island is trying to improve connectivity with markets that value quality, culture, gastronomy and Ibiza's distinctive offer, while generating greater economic value from tourism.

“Controlling tourism does not mean giving up on improving,” Marí said, arguing that the policy is about managing visitor flows, prioritising quality over quantity and ensuring tourism generates greater value for society.

The statement comes at a time when Ibiza is facing continued debate over overcrowding, infrastructure pressure and the long-term sustainability of its tourism model.

The US Market Is Already Growing

The Consell argues that the new route will not suddenly create a completely new tourism market for Ibiza.

American visitors are already travelling to the island, generally arriving through connecting airports such as Madrid, London or Paris.

According to the Consell's tourism intelligence data, the United States represented 5.2% of Ibiza's international visitors between April and October 2025, making it the island's seventh-largest international market.

The American market has also continued to grow in 2026.

In May 2026, the number of US visitors increased by 21.74% compared with May 2025, while more than 6,500 American visitors were recorded on Ibiza's busiest day in June.

Nearly 5 Million Searches for Ibiza Flights

The Consell is also pointing to online demand.

Between January and June 2026, it recorded 4,905,544 searches for flights between the United States and Ibiza.

That was a 39.7% increase compared with the same period in 2025, when 3,511,331 searches were recorded.

For the island government, those figures demonstrate that the direct connection is responding to an existing demand rather than simply attempting to manufacture new tourism.

Why Four Flights a Week?

The route will operate with four weekly flights in each direction, exceeding the Consell's original goal of securing at least one direct connection per week.

United will operate the service using its Airbus A321XLR, a long-range narrow-body aircraft with a smaller capacity than the wide-body aircraft typically associated with transatlantic routes.

The Consell says this makes it possible to establish a long-haul connection without creating the kind of arrival volumes associated with much larger aircraft.

That is central to Marí's argument that the route can support a higher-value tourism strategy without automatically leading to mass tourism.

Ibiza Wants More Value From Each Visitor

Marí says the challenge now is to ensure that improved accessibility translates into greater economic benefits across the island.

The goal is for American visitors to spend more across hotels, restaurants, shops, cultural attractions and other tourism businesses.

The Consell also notes that American hotel brands already account for more than 8,000 hotel places on Ibiza, representing approximately 12% of the island's total hotel capacity.

The argument is therefore that the island is not simply seeking more arrivals — it wants to attract visitors who contribute more broadly to the local economy.

The Route Could Help Extend the Season

There is another detail that the Consell believes supports its containment strategy.

The Newark–Ibiza service will begin on May 31, 2027, and operate until October 7, while flights from Ibiza to Newark will run until October 8.

That means the route will operate beyond the busiest core of July and August.

The Consell argues that encouraging visitors during the edges of the season could help spread tourism activity more evenly throughout the year, rather than concentrating additional demand exclusively during peak summer.

A Gateway to More of the Americas

The new route could also make Ibiza more accessible to travellers from beyond New York.

United's Newark hub provides connections to destinations throughout the United States and other parts of the Americas, meaning Ibiza could potentially become an easier first or additional stop for travellers visiting Europe from elsewhere in North and South America.

The hotel sector has already highlighted this potential, describing the route as an opportunity for Ibiza to become a kind of gateway for visitors from other parts of the Americas.

But The Debate Over Tourism Is Not Going Away

The announcement has already generated both enthusiasm and criticism.

Tourism organisations have welcomed the connection as a major improvement in Ibiza's international accessibility, while criticism on social media has focused on whether adding direct international flights is compatible with an island that is simultaneously promoting tourism containment.

Marí's response is clear: the Consell believes containment should mean managing tourism better, not cutting Ibiza off from strategically important markets.

The new New York route therefore represents an interesting test for Ibiza's evolving tourism strategy.

If the island can attract more North American visitors while increasing spending, extending activity into the shoulder season and avoiding a major increase in peak-season pressure, the Consell will have a stronger argument that growth in value does not necessarily have to mean growth in volume.

The first direct Ibiza–Newark flights are scheduled to begin in May 2027, subject to the required government approvals.

Source: Noudiari, August 26, 2026. Additional information checked against the Consell d'Eivissa, Cadena SER, EFE and other local reporting.