Tourists planning a holiday to Spain could soon be hit with extra charges as airport fees are set to change next year. Popular spots including the Canary and Balearic Islands are reportedly adopting a “war footing” stance against rising airport fees imposed by AENA, the operator of Spain’s main airports. The organisation approved a 6.5% increase in airline fees for 2026, setting the maximum fee at €11.03 (£9.55) per passenger.
It’s intended to help fund the expansion of major Spanish airports in Madrid and Barcelona, specifically to accommodate increased traffic from Asia and the Americas. Javier Gándara, President of the Association of Airlines (ALA), slammed the increase as “excessive”. He pointed out that AENA taxes are a key component in setting airline ticket prices, meaning any hike in these fees inevitably leads to costlier air travel.
Tenerife authorities are set to contest this hike and are calling on the Spanish government to exempt the Canary Islands from the proposed increase.
This comes amid warnings from industry experts that tourists are increasingly choosing other destinations over Spain and its islands.
Majorca in particular is starting to realise the negative impacts of recent anti-tourism protests as industry experts warn visitors are being put off.
Associations representing restaurants, nightlife, and shops in tourist resorts have warned that visitor spending is falling amid an underwhelming season in the Spanish island.
They blame the increasing anti-tourism sentiment for the decline, with CAEB Restaurants Association president Juanmi Ferrer saying these messages “are scaring visitors away”.
Pedro Oliver, the president of the College of Tour Guides, said his excursion sales have fullen 20% this summer, with the worst-affected areas being Valldemossa, Palma, and Port Soller.
He warned that foreign tourists from countries like Britain, Germany, and Italy have got the impression that Majorca is “too crowded”, therefore choosing other destinations for their holidays.
He said: “The anti-tourism messages are resonating. If you generate negative news, which has repercussions in other countries, tourists opt for other destinations when choosing their holidays.
“We are sending the message that we don’t want tourists and that everything is too crowded.”