Record tourism surge in Balearic Islands sparks resident protests
21 July 2024 20:39
14.4 million foreign tourists visited the Balearic Islands last year, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Spain. This year, the number is expected to be even higher, possibly reaching 20 million. The Spanish islands are "going for a record," and residents are protesting.
The number of foreign visitors to the Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Mallorca, and Menorca) has been increasing year by year. In 2023, there was a 9.1 percent increase compared to 2022. Tourists spent 16.4 percent more money there.
The Spanish National Institute of Statistics already reported that 85.1 million foreign tourists visited Spain last year, the highest number ever. Of these, 14.4 million people visited the archipelago alone, mainly Mallorca.
Everything indicates that this record will be broken this year, writes the BBC. On the Balearic Islands, the number could reach 20 million.
Good or bad tourist? Spain's summer siege
In recent years, the debate has intensified in Spain about whether millions of tourists bring more problems than benefits.
As the BBC notes, this year, the anger among many residents has reached a new level. This could be seen, among other things, in the protest organised in Barcelona at the beginning of July.
More than 20,000 people took to the streets then to protest against mass tourism. The demonstration was the result of an initiative by over 100 civic organisations.
They've had enough of tourists. Mallorca also says "no"
Increasingly and more frequently in the media, there are calls from activists who draw attention to the costs of mass tourism that the residents of Mallorca have to bear.
Foreigners buy houses and flats here or rent them for most of the summer, disrupting the market and increasing prices. Regular people who live and work here cannot afford to rent, says 25-year-old Pere from a movement called "Menys Turisme, Més Vida," which translates to "Less Tourism, More Life." This weekend, activists and residents again took to the streets to protest against mass tourism.
Other social activists argue that it is a myth that Mallorca needs constantly growing tourism to survive.
They say that the reality is that many residents are preparing to leave permanently because they can no longer afford to stay.
Mass tourism is not only a Spanish problem. Many European countries are grappling with it. Some have already started to introduce certain restrictions. In Venice, day-trippers are forced to pay a special tax. Similar solutions have also appeared in some Swiss villages, which are inundated by thousands of people because of their beauty.
