Today the 2022 Tourism Satisfaction Barometer, conducted by the Formentera Data Observatory, was presented at a gathering that included representatives of the tourism sector and members of the general public. Development of the barometer involved administering 2,510 in-depth surveys, mostly in the port of La Savina. Tourists and single-day visitors were differentiated among respondents.
Spanish travellers continue to predominate among visitors to the island, representing 39% of the total. These were followed by Italians, who accounted for 28%. The German, French and English markets were also well represented, with these three making up 17% of the total. Other countries accounted for a combined total of 16% of Formentera's visitors. According to Alejandra Ferrer, vice president and councillor of tourism, the data point to the return of international travellers who had stayed home during the pandemic as well as to increased diversification in the current market.
Sixty-three per cent of Formentera's visitors were between 18 and 44 years old, and 55% were women. Visitors generally came with a partner (40%), friends (29%) or family (28%). Ferrer explained that the Tourism Satisfaction Barometer is designed to show "our visitors' exact level of satisfaction and where we –local government and the business community– need to do better".
Degree of tourist satisfaction
Once again this year, the island's most highly ranked assets were its beaches, natural beauty, opportunities to be in contact with nature, tranquillity, weather, ease of information, safety and local cuisine. The worst rated aspects were value, Wi-Fi connection, traffic, noise and cleanliness. At 93.8%, the level of visitor satisfaction remains excellent, but this has fallen 5.4% since 2021.
Ferrer traced this drop in overall satisfaction to growing complaints about high prices and a perceived overcrowdedness and saturation due in large part to increasing numbers of summertime day-trippers. According to the data, 964,143 people came to Formentera this season and, of that total, 681,815 were day-trippers.
Expenditure
Tourists in 2022 spent on average €98 – as much as they did in 2021. Fifty-three percent of the tourists and day-trippers interviewed said they spent between €50 and €100 per person per day, while 18% spent between €101 and €150. The proportion of high-spending tourists grew 5% compared to 2021.
After the presentation, Turitalk's Nuria Moya spoke to attendees about how to attract and retain talent in the local tourism industry. The aim, according to Councillor Ferrer, was "to improve the service received by our visitors by giving our business community tools to achieve staff loyalty".
22 November 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera
The Formentera Office of Commerce, which is spearheading the Strengthening Local Business Plan (Pla per a l'enfortiment del comerç, PEC), staged the first working group with sector representatives today. These meetings are part of a participatory work process in which Formentera businesses can provide input to help develop actions to revitalise and improve the commercial fabric of the island.
The Formentera Office of Commerce is pleased to announce that, with the addition by Repsol, which distributes butane and propane on the island, of new distribution points on the island, Formentera now has four points of sale in the winter and five in summer, instead of the single distribution point that existed this summer. Also, the company has said that, at the behest of the Consell de Formentera plenary assembly, requests for home delivery have been computerised to make the service more efficient.
For the first time since summer's end, today the Organising and Promoting Tourism Committee (Comissió d'Ordenació i Promoció Turística, COPT) convened for a gathering chaired by Alejandra Ferrer, vice president and councillor of tourism, and Carlos Bernús, head of marketing of the Consell de Formentera. Also on the COPT are representatives from the local tourism sector, like the Hotel Association of Formentera, Chamber of Commerce, PIMEF, CAEB and political groups, including President Ana Juan on behalf of the PSOE.
