A lack of affordable housing, overburdened health services and unbridled tourist behavior are some of the growing complaints directed at local authorities who are failing to control the number of tourists.
Over the weekend I agreed with Euronews, protesters in the Majorca flooded a popular beach in yet another protest against overtourism, a phenomenon seen in Europe.
Members of the movement “You’ve Got Our Beaches” (“Occupem Les Nostres Platges”) gathered on the lively Balneario 6 beach.
More than 100 protesters donned their towels and took a symbolic dip in the sea, calling for tougher measures on tourism.
Last year, Majorcans put up fake signs on local beaches warning tourists to stay away, while neighboring Ibiza also saw protests against over-tourism. Protesters at S’Arenal beach said they could no longer enjoy their area because it was overcrowded with tourists.
A young woman said: “We came here to demand that residents can enjoy the beaches that only tourists enjoy today.”
In 2023, Mallorca welcomed one a record number of 14 million foreign visitors. This year the trend looks set to continue unabated, with more than six million tourists arriving ahead of the summer season, an eight percent increase on last year.
Another protester pointed out wider implications of mass tourism: “From the disappearance of local culture, the increasing precision, the impossibility of living here and the deterioration of public services, many tourists understand this because they know what it means in their own countries.”
In response, the Balearic Islands government created a committee with representatives from the tourism sector and civil society to work on ways to reduce the impact of tourism.
The changes include increased checks against illegal accommodation of tourists, with 27 new inspectors and fines of up to €80,000 for offences.