Increase in holidaymakers visiting Mallorca in 2011

Passenger numbers for Son Sant Joan airport, Palma de Mallorca, were up 7.6% in 2011, according to figures released this week.

A total of 16.5 million passengers flew into Palma on international flights and 6.2 million Spanish people took domestic flights. International flights were up 10.6% year on year, versus +0.5% for domestic arrivals, suggesting the growth is driven by foreign visitors.

This is backed up by figures disclosed on Tuesday by the minister for tourism, José Manuel Soria. Soria confirmed the number of foreign guests visiting the Balearic Islands during 2011 was up 10.4%.

There is no doubt that Spanish tourism benefited from the troubles in the Middle East and North Africa this year, with visitor numbers up 8.1% on average. In total a massive 56.9 million foreign holiday makers travelled to Spain during 2011. What is particularly encouraging for Mallorca and the other islands is the fact that they outstripped the average increase by 2.3%.

What you say - tell us what you're thinking