Ibiza and Formentera Are the Only Balearic Islands to Record a Fall in Tourist Arrivals in September 2026

November 05, 2026

Ibiza and Formentera were the only island group in the Balearics to record a year-on-year decline in tourist arrivals during September 2026, according to provisional figures published by the Institut d'Estadística de les Illes Balears (IBESTAT). The two islands received a combined 547,659 tourists, representing a decrease of 2.37% compared with September 2025. Mallorca and Menorca, by contrast, both recorded increases.

The figures offer a mixed picture for the final part of the summer season. Although visitor numbers fell across the Pitiusas, tourist expenditure continued to grow, reaching €705.39 million during September, an increase of 0.8% compared with the same month last year.

Ibiza and Formentera Record 2.37% Fewer Tourist Arrivals

The September figures show a clear difference between the three main island groups.

Mallorca welcomed 1,751,514 tourists, an increase of 0.56% compared with September 2025. Menorca received 256,869 visitors, up 1.51%.

Ibiza and Formentera together recorded 547,659 arrivals, down 2.37%, making the Pitiusas the only island group to experience a decline during the month.

Despite the September decrease, the cumulative figures for the first nine months of 2026 remain positive. The two islands welcomed 3,372,423 tourists between January and September, an increase of 1.37% compared with the same period in 2025.

The Balearic Islands Welcome Almost 17 Million Tourists

Across the entire archipelago, the provisional FRONTUR statistics recorded 16,913,271 tourists between January and September 2026, representing growth of 1.6% year on year.

September itself was considerably more stable. The Balearic Islands received 2,556,042 tourists during the month, approximately 0.01% more than in September 2025.

The figures included 2,189,863 international visitors, an increase of 0.12%, while tourists residing in other Spanish autonomous communities totalled 366,179, down 0.64%.

Mallorca continued to account for the largest share of the archipelago's tourism activity, with 11,900,115 visitors during the first nine months. Menorca recorded 1,640,735, while Ibiza and Formentera together accounted for 3,372,423.

British Tourism Grows While German Arrivals Decline

The main international source markets also showed contrasting performances during September.

The United Kingdom was the leading international source market for the Balearic Islands, contributing 638,664 tourists. This represented an increase of 18.71% compared with September 2025 and gave the British market a 24.99% share of total arrivals.

Germany, traditionally an important market for Mallorca, moved in the opposite direction. The archipelago received 559,348 German tourists, a decrease of 8.65% year on year.

Across the first nine months of 2026, the British market maintained positive growth, increasing by 8.99%, while German arrivals declined by 2.18%. Together, the two countries accounted for approximately 53% of international tourists visiting the Balearic Islands.

The domestic Spanish market was the third-largest source, with 366,179 visitors in September, down 0.64%.

Tourism Spending Continues to Increase in the Pitiusas

Despite the decline in arrivals, tourist expenditure across Ibiza and Formentera continued to rise.

The two islands recorded combined tourism spending of €705.39 million in September, an increase of 0.8% compared with the same month in 2025.

The growth was considerably stronger in Mallorca, where visitors spent €2,391.9 million, up 11.85%. Menorca recorded €313.54 million, an increase of 8%.

Across the Balearic Islands, total tourist expenditure reached €3,410.83 million, representing year-on-year growth of 9.01%.

Average daily spending across the archipelago reached €216.10 per person, up 8.72%, while average expenditure per visitor rose to €1,334.42, an increase of 9%.

For the first nine months of 2026, total tourist expenditure in the Balearics reached €21,701.7 million, up 5.95% compared with the same period last year.

A Mixed Picture for Ibiza's Tourism Season

The September figures underline the differences between visitor numbers and tourism revenue. The Pitiusas recorded fewer arrivals than in the same month of 2025, but spending still increased slightly.

The cumulative figures also show that Ibiza and Formentera remained above their 2025 visitor total for the January-to-September period.

The latest statistics therefore point to a more complex picture than a simple decline in tourism. Visitor arrivals, spending and the performance of individual source markets are moving at different rates, making the distinction between the number of tourists and the economic value of their visits particularly important.

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