Should the Ibiza season be extended?

There has been a lot of talk and comments recently about the length of the current season in Ibiza and whether a concerted effort should be made to extend and expand it further.

Currently the main season runs roughly from mid May through until mid October (5 months) with the peak of the season being July and August where the island welcomes millions of sun and party seekers to it’s shores.

Out of season the island does have a thriving tourism economy, all be it on a much smaller scale and as a result many businesses close during this time as it’s simply not profitable enough to open.

Ibiza in winter, which is a odd term in my book, runs from late October until early May (8 months) and is much more relaxed, less intense and a lot quieter than during the summer months.

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It is based around the island’s culture, walking, cycling and gastronomy and has a much more Spanish feel to it than during the summer season.  It’s perfect for a few days away when you don’t want a much longer flight to a true winter sun destination.

Having a quick look online there are at least 12 hotels / hostels open in San Antonio all year round and a fair few bars and restaurants as well, so it’s not as sleepy as many make it out to be.  Of course it’s not the summer and it has a different feel  but some businesses are still open and thriving.

Futura Live Lounge San Antonio Bay Ibiza, newly opened this winter.

This is the current set-up and it works well in the most part, but some people are calling for Ibiza to be promoted either as an all year round destination or to extend the summer season by another 6 weeks or so (April until late October).

On the For side is the question of money.  As the main summer season is so short everyone involved has to earn their living for the whole year  in only 5 months or less.  This means that whatever they get during this time has to last the whole year and inevitably a lot of people have to rely on Government support to help get them through the winter months.

Less government handouts equals more investment elsewhere across the island in an ideal world.

Getting to the island is much more difficult over the winter with only one flight daily from London which leaves at 09:20am or earlier, meaning any short break involves an extra night in a hotel in London for many of us from the UK or overnight travelling which isn’t ideal for a short break.

You can fly via  Palma, Madrid or Barcelona to Ibiza but on a short haul flight people question whether it is worth it. It does beg the question though whether the subsidised flights which were in place a few years ago should be reinstated from a UK Midlands and Northern airport to increase visitor numbers a little and expand its appeal to others who wouldn’t normally visit the island in the summer.

The infrastructure is in place to maintain a longer season.  The hotels and bars could open for longer, more events could be put on, be it music and party based or more cultural. In fact it wouldn’t take too much to make it all a reality. Although it has to be said that the sea itself is a little too “fresh” to swim in from late October till late May in our experience.

However,  considerations need to be made for the island itself.  It is a fragile place and with so many people visiting during the summer months, and with these numbers steadily growing annually, it does need time to recover, for the beaches to not to be trampled upon daily by thousands of people, for the sea not be full of boats causing pollution and other environmental concerns.

Ibiza beaches in winter are quiet and empty great for walks by the shore.

The flora and fauna needs to re-establish itself to prevent erosion in the inevitable winds and rain of winter.  The supply and demand from the water sources, sewage treatment works, electricity production all need maintenance and wouldn’t cope with an all  year round high tourism model without further significant investment.

A list of the most pressing concerns can be found on the Ibiza Preservation Trust’s website here http://www.ibizapreservationfund.org/issues-of-concern/ many of which would be exasperated by mass winter tourism.

But for us, more importantly, is the fact that the people of Ibiza themselves need time to enjoy their island and to recover from the summer season.  And here is some quick maths to explain (based on averages before you all shout at me).

A UK average worker:

Works 8 hours a day for 5 days a week for 48 weeks a year, totalling 1,920 hours per year.

(4 weeks removed for bank holidays and annual leave/holiday)

An Ibicenco average worker:

Works at least 12 hours per day 7 days a week for 22 weeks, totalling 1,848 hours over the season.

NOTE:  This doesn’t include any winter maintenance that has to be undertaken  to bars, boats, restaurants etc which would increase this hours worked figure.

So Ibicenco workers work on average 80 hours less  (excluding winter maintenance) but compacted to only 5 months as opposed to 12 months of the year.  And during these 5 months the Ibicenco workers work extremely hard, rarely seeing their family or having time to enjoy life.  Weekends simply do not exist for locals during the summer season and we think that their health and well being has to be brought into the mix.

In our opinion, let’s keep it as it is a bustling busy summer holiday destination with a quieter winter season.  Yes definitely visit in the winter as well.  Promote it a little more and bring back the subsidised flights as there is plenty going on  and Ibiza in winter is a beautiful place to visit.

But above all let’s get the balance right and not destroy the island and it’s way of life by overuse and trying to make it a 24/7, 365 destination.

 
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