"People who used to come for a week are now staying for two days": an American entrepreneur reignites the debate over prices in Ibiza

The high cost of spending a few days in Ibiza, together with shorter stays among some visitors, has once again placed tourism prices at the centre of the debate.

A video posted on social media by Ari S. Goldberg, an American entrepreneur and investor with links to marketing, digital media and start-ups, features the account of a shopkeeper in Ibiza’s historic centre who says she is noticing a change compared with previous seasons.

The woman explains that she has been on the island for 24 years and says that this year she is seeing less activity.

During the conversation, Goldberg asks her about how tourism has evolved and raises one of the issues causing concern among parts of the industry: visitors who once spent a full week in Ibiza may now be opting for much shorter trips.

What used to be a week is now two days

“People who used to come for a week are now coming for two days” Goldberg summarises in his post, based on his conversation with the shopkeeper.

The entrepreneur also focuses part of his commentary on rising prices.

As an example, he points to the cost of a bottle of water in some nightlife venues which, he claims, has risen from around €5 several years ago to as much as €25 in certain establishments.

Goldberg, founder of investment firm RNMKR and previously the creator of digital platform StyleCaster, interprets this change as part of a broader economic trend that he believes is having a particular impact on the spending power of European tourists.

It is, however, Goldberg’s personal interpretation based on the testimony he gathered in Ibiza.

The video has reopened a debate that returns to the island every season: to what extent rising prices are changing the type of visitor Ibiza attracts, how much they are able or willing to spend and, in particular, how long they stay on the island.

Beyond overall figures for visitor arrivals or tourist spending, the shopkeeper’s account highlights a perception that is also causing concern among small businesses and other tourism-related services: that some visitors may still be travelling to Ibiza, but are staying for fewer days and becoming far more selective about where and how they spend their money while on holiday.