The unnamed 34-year-old is now due in court so an investigating judge can decide whether to remand him in custody pending an ongoing criminal probe or release him on bail.
Detectives have not revealed what led them to the man they have held.
The National Police investigation that resulted in the arrest was led by a specialist unit called UFAM which specialises in dealing with crimes that include violence against women.
A spokesman for the force, confirming the arrest, said: “Police in Palma have arrested a Spanish man on suspicion of a sex attack on a tourist.
“The incident he was held over occurred in the early hours of September 8 last year when a holidaymaker ended up alone in a bar area of Magaluf and was left having to return to her hotel in Palma with no means of transport.
“At that moment a man approached her and they began talking and she told him what had happened at which point he offered to accompany her to her hotel.
“On the way the suspected sex attacker parked up in a car park and then locked the vehicle and pushed the tourist against the seat before forcing himself on her. “She subsequently managed to get out of the car and fled and moments later got into a taxi that took her to her hotel.
“When officers were informed about what had happened, the National Police’s UFAM unit began an investigation with the little information it had, managing to obtain more details little by little.
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“The Traffic Department in the Balearic Islands also helped out and months later a suspect was identified. He was arrested on Wednesday.”
Well-placed sources confirmed the holidaymaker was from the UK.
It was not immediately clear when the suspect would appear in court for his remand hearing, which will take place behind closed doors as is normal in Spain where only trials take place in public.
