Ibiza Invests In Family Market.

Hotel Galeon San Miguel Ibiza

With a swath of new hotel upgrade projects for Ibiza 2015, the island is beginning to invest in its traditional family market once again. While the 5* Hotels in Ibiza are below the demanding standard of their European and American counterparts, the 3* and 4* hotels continue to perform strongly. These hotels would be geared towards the family, adult and couples market where Ibiza offers so much potential. There is a common misconception that Ibiza is a just party island full of sex and drugs fueled ravers there to have in large “beefa style”. The truth is, that Ibiza has always been a popular destination for families especially with the Spanish market, which accounts for the majority of tourist footfall to the island. Only 20% of the islands tourism industry caters to the clubbing market. There is also a large British and German family market which holiday in areas like San Antonio Bay, Santa Eularia, Es Cana, San Miguel and Portinax which are all geared towards the family market. The vast majority of that market has traditionally been 3* and 4* clients from working to middle class areas of Europe, a market that Ibiza caters very well to.

In 2015 many of the 3* and 4* family hotels in Ibiza will be upgrading their facilities to offer a quality, luxury leaning and all inclusive product themed around resort centers popular elsewhere in Europe and the Caribbean. Thompson are locating their Sensatori themed resort to Cala Tarida upgrading the old Insotel Cala Tarida Hotel which has splendid views of sunset over a lovely beach. Up in the peaceful North of Ibiza, one of the best located hotels on the island, The Galeon, carved into the rockface of the beautiful San Miguel bay, is been taken over by Iberostar a professional chain of Hotels based in mainland Spain. Other notable upgrades include the Cala Pada Hotel a popular German base that is now been taken over by Tui Travelplc and re-branded the Magic Life resort. Another popular German Hotel, the old Club Stella Maris in Cala Gracio, which Ibiza Rocks had been interested in buying, has been sold to a Dutch Hotel chain who plan to upgrade its excellent facilities into a luxury family hotel.There are a number of other Hotels that are been upgraded for Ibiza 2015 and affordable luxury is at the center of their business model.

In my opinion, this will work very well for all the hotels involved as many of the clubbers who built Ibiza into a dance music mecca in the 90’s are returning with young families and happy memories of a beautiful island in the Mediterranean. The local culture is very much a family orientated culture and the Ibicencos are welcoming to children as they play an important part in their society. Since the birth of my daughter 7 years ago I have always found Ibiza a safe, and welcoming island for families with excellent beach’s and family entertainment at an affordable price. However new or upgraded hotels in Ibiza are notorious for presenting with lots of teething problems due to snag lists and new management, so I would suggest that holidaymakers avoid taking good looking offers and booking into a first season refurbished hotel in Ibiza. It is always a safer bet to wait a year, so that systems and routines bed into the relaxed and laid back Ibicenco style where life doesn’t always go to plan.