Magaluf clean-up is paying off, say hoteliers
Efforts to help Magaluf shake off its reputation as a cheap, party resort are paying off, according to its hoteliers.
The Majorcan resort is midway through a five-year regeneration plan designed to extend its season, attract more families and couples, the MICE market, and improve security and public order.
Officials say crime has decreased overall in 2018, and the number of guests expelled from hotels for bad behaviour was 95, 41% down on the previous year and the lowest number since the introduction of the regeneration initiative.
Balconying incidents were also down, but there was still one death and seven young people injured in Magaluf this summer.
The number of younger visitors has fallen to less than 17% compared to 22% in 2016.
The destination also welcomed the recent announcement by tour operator Thomas Cook to remove its 18-30 programme in 2019.
Sebastian Darder, chairman at Palmanova-Magaluf Hotel Association, said at World Travel Market this week: "Working in partnership with the local authorities and businesses over the past six years, we have introduced quality hotels and facilities to Magaluf, which has allowed us to attract more families and couples to the destination, as well as continuing to increase occupancy and profitability."
Spanish hotel group Melia Hotels International has invested almost €250 million in its hotels in both Magaluf and Palmanova to improve and reposition its properties and help improve the resorts.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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