The ferry transport line of between Ibiza and Formentera is slowly recovering from the effects of the covid pandemic, which during the past year devastated the economy on the islands. Data from the Balearic Port Authority (APB) indicate that during the first eight months of 2021 this route, one of the busiest in Europe, has recorded 1,125,262 passengers, representing a decrease of 22.7% over the same period of 2019, the last ‘normal’ period before the outbreak of the virus.

This data, which also demonstrates the good summer of the tourism sector in Formentera, is extracted from the statistics posted by the APB on its website (portsdebalears.com) for the last month available, last August. It also provides the cumulative figure for these months during 2020, which highlights the devastating effect that the restrictions on mobility had on the islands due to the virus. Thus, from January to August last year the Pitiusa line handled a total of 687,094 passengers, 64% less than in the same period this year.
The ferry line between the Pitiusas Islands loses 329,739 passengers from January to August
Passengers in Ibiza on a ferry to Formentera enjoy the views of Dalt Vila. CÉSAR NAVARRO.

Smaller drop using the ferry in August

As for the month of August, the ferry companies transported 354,215 people between the islands, 25.1% less than in August 2019 and 37% more than last year. This figure explains the upturn in activity after, at the end of June 2020, the Government lifted the confinement and began to open the doors to the ‘new mobility’, still reduced on the islands (transport from abroad continued to suffer limitations for many months afterwards). The port of La Savina has closed these first eight months with 1,251,806 passengers, including traffic from the line to Denia, operated by Baleària. The figure represents a growth of 64% over last year (765,196 passengers) and a fall of 14% compared to two years ago (1,455,088). For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.