Spain's state-backed holiday program for seniors, Imserso, is losing its appeal for hotels in Mallorca. Industry representatives state that after services such as accommodation, breakfast, meals, cleaning, and reception, the hotel is left with approximately 25 euros per customer per night. This amount is said to make it economically difficult to open facilities during the low season.

Last season, only 17 hotels in Mallorca participated in the program. Of these, 15 found the implementation economically sustainable. Imserso has 879,213 slots available across Spain for the 2026-2027 season. Of these slots, 228,142 are allocated to coastal destinations in the Balearic and Canary Islands.

Hoteliers Demand Adaptation to Rising Costs

The Mallorca Hoteliers Federation (FEHM) is demanding that the program's economic conditions be readjusted to reflect the cost increases of recent years.

At the heart of the problem is that the price paid for Imserso guests covers not only room accommodation but also various services provided throughout the day. Under current conditions, opening a hotel out of season, especially solely to serve Imserso customers, makes less and less economic sense for businesses.

Travel agencies are also affected by this situation. Pedro Fiol, President of the Balearic Islands Travel Agencies Association (AVIBA), noted that it has become more difficult to find hotels willing to participate in the program. Fiol stated that in some cases, agencies have had to bear part of the cost to ensure hotels accept bookings.

Fiol believes that Imserso could still be useful for extending the season or combining customers within the program with other market segments. However, he emphasized that opening a facility solely for these guests creates a different economic picture. Fiol stated, "It works when they do it as part of preparing the accommodation facility for the season, but not in terms of profitability."

Hotel Samos Continues with the Program

One of the 15 facilities in Mallorca that continues to participate in the program is Hotel Samos in Magaluf. The hotel's director, Francisco Muñoz, stated that Imserso customers have been part of the establishment's annual planning for many years.

The hotel, which remained closed for approximately three months due to renovations, is reopening in mid-February. During this period, it can host Imserso customers alongside other guest groups. While this model makes the program viable for the business, Muñoz pointed out that current prices, in the face of rising costs, make it difficult for new hotels to join the system.

Seasonal Structure Exacerbates Problem in Menorca and Ibiza

The discussion is even more significant for Menorca and Ibiza, where the tourism season is shorter compared to Mallorca. Some facilities need Imserso customers more to sustain their operations during certain periods of the year.

For this reason, hoteliers, travel agencies, and island administrations are expressing a shared expectation for the program's economic model to be reviewed. FEHM acknowledges that Imserso fulfills an important social function. However, it emphasizes that the program "needs to be updated" to ensure its sustainability in its current form. Image: AI-generated image