The Palma International Boat Show last year had an economic impact of 20.1 million euros

The Palma International Boat Show had an economic impact of 20.1 million euros last year. This is confirmed by a study carried out by the Directorate General of Economy and Statistics with data collected by ADR Balears.

The impact study certifies that the boat show improves tourism in a month of low season, favouring the deseasonalisation and increasing the flow of national and international tourists and boosting income for hotels, restaurants, transport and shops.

Two thirds of the total impact -13.5 million euros- corresponds to the direct impact, generated by tourists who travel to Palma for this fair, the consumption of participating residents and the participation of the nautical industry through exhibitors.

In fact, one of the most relevant conclusions is that the fair not only helps to deseasonalise tourism in April, but also attracts tourists whose average daily expenditure exceeds that of traditional visitors. The average expenditure of a tourist at the fair is €435 per day, which is almost 2.5 times the average expenditure recorded by the Tourism Expenditure Survey (EGATUR) in April 2024, which is €176 per day. Most of this impact is directed towards other services – such as assembly, photography or cleaning – and hotels and restaurants.

The remaining third of the impact (6.5 million euros) is distributed between the indirect impact which reflects the investments and expenses made by the suppliers that provide the event such as catering,
transport or supplies- and the induced impact, that is, the one originated by the expenditure of the workers hired by the event.

In addition, the study presented this Wednesday indicates that in just four days, more than 28,000 people visit the fair, which generates more than 8.2 million euros in direct spending. This makes the boat show a key event in the deseasonalisation of tourism, as six out of every ten tourists recognise that they visit Palma for this event.

According to the study, the boat show is positioned as an excellent platform to attract tourists interested in water sports, reaching a wider market segment with a higher purchasing power.

Based on the responses of the tourists, two thirds come mainly from European countries, with a diverse distribution by country. In addition, two out of three tourists stay in hotels of 4-stars or more,
which stands out compared to holiday rentals, which are chosen by only 3%, far from the 14% of traditional tourists, according to EGATUR.

Furthermore, the study carried out by the Directorate General of Economics and Statistics confirms
that the Palma International Boat Show is a consolidated event, as 99% of visitors confirm that they will return for the next edition. The same thing happens with the exhibitors, most of whom are of foreign origin, who are mostly satisfied with the fair and its duration.