The Balearic Government says the latest employment figures do not reflect "complaints" made by the restaurant and retail sectors in their assessments of the 2025 tourism season.
In August, a new employment record for the Balearics was set - 666,940 people were signed on for work with social security while unemployment stood at 25,968. In the government's view, the figures are evidence of a strong labour market performance this summer. In the restaurant sector, it is pointed out, there was an 8.8% fall in the number of unemployed compared with August last year.
The minister for employment, Catalina Cabrer, said on Tuesday that the Balearic Islands remain the leading region in terms of job creation. Because of complaints from the restaurant sector, particular attention has been paid to the August figures. But these don't stand out in a negative way. "Unemployment is falling in all sectors, especially in the restaurant sector."
Cabrer added that a prolonged season is expected, similar to last year's, when - in terms of employment - the end of summer practically overlapped with the sales season and the Christmas holidays. "We're talking about full occupation practically all year round."
The small increase in unemployment as a whole in August - 582 people - wasn't unusual. Unemployment does tend to increase fractionally in August; last year it rose by 713.
Commenting on the figures, the president of the Confederation of Balearic Business Associations of the Balearic Islands, Carmen Planas, said: "Despite the positive dynamics of the market throughout the summer, the sharp drop in new (employment) contracts is significant, a result of the lower turnover achieved by various business sectors."
The UGT union criticised an "economic euphoria," stressing that problems persist, such as not being possible to improve the well-being of families or reduce the structural unemployment rate.