Lessons From Mallorca's Rushed Reopening

It seemed like it would be an early tourism recovery success story for Mallorca when a pilot scheme rolled out for German tourists in June 2020, ahead of Spain’s wider reopening. In partnership with tour operator TUI, the local hotel association and the Balearics government, the first batch of German tourists spread out across the popular beach-blessed Balearic islands. Protocols were limited to temperature checks and health screenings on arrival, plus the promise of "bubble tour groups" to keep the virus from spreading. But the unorthodox safety marketing campaign failed. Case numbers rose on Mallorca as well as in source markets, including the UK and Germany which were quick to list Spain as a risk zone. Germany also began requiring quarantine upon return from Mallorca, effectively freezing travel despite the Balearics’ reopening efforts. Nearly a year since Covid hit, tourism is anything but back on its feet. The Balearics’ tourism industry stakeholders are now fighting back to save their industry — this month, an SOS Tourism campaign launched with over 500 signatories so far, including hospitality groups, bars and restaurants, asking the government to establish transparent and consistent health protocols balancing the economy with the public health, plus a vaccination roll out plan that would result in 70