Family Tourism Falls Short of Expectations in Ibiza in October as Hotel Occupancy Declines

10 November 2026

Ibiza and Formentera's hotel sector recorded a weaker end to the 2026 tourist season, with hotel occupancy falling noticeably during the second half of October. The Federación Empresarial Hotelera de Ibiza y Formentera (FEHIF) says demand from family travellers did not meet expectations during the final weeks of the season, highlighting the difficulty of extending tourism activity beyond the main summer months.

According to the federation's latest occupancy figures, hotels across the Pityusic Islands recorded an average occupancy rate of 64.67% in October 2026, compared with 69.69% in the same month of 2025. This represents a decrease of 5.02 percentage points.

The decline was particularly pronounced during the second half of the month, when combined occupancy fell to 55.42%, compared with 64.05% a year earlier. This is a relative year-on-year reduction of approximately 13.5%.

FEHIF president María Costa Roig said the October results were below the expectations of member establishments, which reported weaker-than-anticipated performance from the family tourism segment. The federation nevertheless described the overall 2026 season as positive and very similar to the previous year.

Family Tourism Demand Falls Short in the Final Weeks

The hotel association says its members found it difficult to attract the expected number of family visitors during October.

According to the establishments surveyed, bookings were heavily influenced by last-minute reservations and school holiday calendars in the main international source markets. Later school holidays meant that some family travel demand was concentrated later than hotels had anticipated.

Hotels responded with commercial campaigns intended to recover bookings and stimulate demand during the final weeks of the season.

The figures do not provide a separate occupancy rate for family travellers. The reported 13.5% decline relates to overall hotel occupancy in the second half of October, while the assessment of family demand comes from feedback provided by FEHIF member establishments.

The distinction is important when interpreting the results: the figures demonstrate a decline in hotel occupancy, while the federation's comments identify family tourism as one segment that performed below expectations.

Formentera Experiences the Sharpest October Decline

Formentera recorded the weakest October performance of the two islands.

Its average hotel occupancy for the month was 49.38%, compared with 61.34% in October 2025. During the second half of the month, occupancy fell to 37.48%, down from 55.20% a year earlier.

Ibiza recorded an October occupancy rate of 66.29%. All five of the island's tourist zones finished the month below their respective 2025 figures.

The northern area registered the largest monthly decline in percentage-point terms, with occupancy reaching 58.12%, 6.39 points below the previous year.

The other reported figures were:

  • Sant Antoni and its bay: 64.36%.

  • Ibiza Town: 65.52%.

  • Santa Eulària: 69.06%.

  • Sant Josep: 69.20%.

The figures illustrate the differences between the two islands and between Ibiza's tourist areas during the final month of the season.

Overall 2026 Hotel Season Remains Close to 2025

Despite October's weaker results, FEHIF's assessment of the full season is considerably more positive.

Between May and October, average hotel occupancy across Ibiza and Formentera reached 81.95%, compared with 82.20% in 2025. The difference was just 0.25 percentage points.

The two islands followed different trends. Ibiza recorded a cumulative occupancy rate of 82.96%, slightly higher than the 82.72% registered in 2025.

Formentera, by contrast, finished the period at 73.85%, down from 75.90% the previous year.

Four of Ibiza's five tourist zones improved their cumulative occupancy compared with 2025. Ibiza Town led with 83.18%, followed by Sant Josep at 82.89%, Sant Antoni and its bay at 82.75%, and Santa Eulària at 82.51%.

The northern area was the exception, recording 79.49%, compared with 82.83% in 2025.

Stronger Start to the Season Followed by a Weaker Autumn

The season began with stronger occupancy figures than the previous year.

Across the Pityusic Islands, May recorded 74.25% occupancy, compared with 70.29% in 2025. June reached 85.45%, while July recorded 89.59%.

However, the year-on-year trend weakened from August onwards, with lower occupancy figures continuing into September and becoming more pronounced in October.

The contrasting results underline the importance of the opening and closing months of the season to the islands' wider tourism strategy. While the summer months continue to attract high demand, extending hotel activity into autumn remains dependent on sufficient visitor numbers, suitable flight connections and the availability of services.

Hoteliers Call for Stronger Promotion of Family Tourism

Following the October results, FEHIF has reiterated the importance of promoting Ibiza and Formentera as family destinations, particularly during the beginning and end of the tourist season.

The federation argues that family tourism should complement the islands' other visitor segments rather than compete with them. It believes that a stronger focus on families could help support hotel activity beyond the busiest summer months.

The issue was also discussed at the World Travel Market in London, where the hotel association highlighted the need for continued promotion and better planning of demand in the shoulder season.

María Costa Roig said the overall season remained positive, pointing to the maintenance of cumulative occupancy and an increase in tourist spending as favourable elements. However, the federation's statement did not provide a figure for the reported increase in spending.

More Hotels Included in the Occupancy Survey

FEHIF also reported a significant increase in participation in its hotel occupancy survey.

For the second half of October 2026, the survey received responses from 110 establishments representing 27,576 tourist beds. In the corresponding period of 2025, the survey included 69 establishments and 15,043 beds.

The larger sample provides coverage of more hotel establishments, although the change in participation should be kept in mind when comparing the survey results between years.

The federation is also considering extending its occupancy survey to include April. The month is currently excluded from its usual figures, but an increasing number of hotels are opening during this period.

Including April would allow the association to monitor whether the tourist season is gradually extending towards the beginning of spring, as well as assess the demand supporting those earlier hotel openings.

The latest figures therefore present a mixed picture for Ibiza and Formentera: a weaker October, particularly in its second half, but a cumulative hotel season that remained almost unchanged from 2025. For the hotel sector, attracting more family visitors during the shoulder season remains one of the priorities for future tourism campaigns.

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