When the dust settles on Ibiza summer 2024, barring a September miracle, the records will show that it didn’t quite go as planned.
After the post pandemic boom it hasn’t been a bust but it has been a reality check. After 2 years of record breaking numbers, this summer has flattered to deceive. The usual blue chip businesses are busy as usual (just look on social media) but the rest are fighting over the scraps. In all truth, if you scratch away at the surface, it’s been a struggle for many businesses to survive.
The Ibiza way of ‘stack it high and….keep pushing up the prices’ has become tiresome for a generation of island lovers who now look to Turkey and the east Mediterranean for their annual fix of fun in the sun at a price where they don’t have to sell a kidney to pay the bill.
Whereas before there was a conveyor belt of youngsters ready to fill the gap, the entry level tourists have become more difficult to attract due to high prices and a perception that Ibiza has sold its soul in return for pure profit.
If this market is dwindling then it’s more important than ever to work with what we have and make sure they return. The historical Ibiza way of making money while not overly focussing on customer service is wearing thin. Even the top end is growing weary of it, bookings at the expensive restaurants are being replaced by local eateries offering good service.
Ibiza is top of the tree in so many ways but customer experience isn’t one of them and this is the root of the problem. Compare it to others places in the north or south of mainland Spain and you will instantly understand.
The businesses that are doing well on the White Isle are those that look after their customers so that they continually return. Many businesses have profited from the rise of Ibiza but just the name doesn’t cut it anymore with so much competition around
The feedback is that Ibiza has been found wanting with its customer focus, preferring to put profits first. Longevity comes from providing an experience coupled with the right balance of price for your product.
As the younger market is being marginalised the island needs its customers to return more than ever and the experience they have when here is key. We know Ibiza has what other destinations can only dream of but a reset in the way we treat our most precious commodity isn’t a bad idea either.
MAN IN SAN AN by Martin Makepeace 