Mass tourism on Mallorca "There are more people on the island this year than ever before"
There is a lot of anger on Mallorca: this is not the first time that thousands of people have demonstrated against mass tourism. A woman from Liechtenstein, who has been there for three years, reports on the mood on the ground.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Thousands of people once again took to the streets of Mallorca to protest against mass tourism.
- A woman from Liechtenstein, who has been commuting back and forth between Palma and Liechtenstein for three years, confirms this: The resentment is great, the Balearic island is overflowing.
- Something has to happen and a solution has to be found that works for everyone.
- After all, it wouldn't work without tourism. The island has a lot to thank him for and has become richer as a result.
In recent months, one issue in particular has preoccupied the residents of Mallorca: the popular vacation island is being increasingly overrun by tourists. Locals are demonstrating to get the government to act. They have a clear concept of what should happen: Tourism must be regulated even more.
Many places on the Balearic island are heavily overcrowded and are struggling with the consequences, such as housing shortages, overcrowding and price rises. Maria S. and her circle of friends are also feeling the effects.
Maria has been commuting back and forth between Liechtenstein and Mallorca with her partner for three years, but first visited the island 30 years ago. "There were far fewer people back then, but there weren't as many as there are today," says the Liechtenstein native in a telephone conversation with blue News. She is alluding to the well-developed infrastructure, which she believes Mallorca owes to tourism.
"In my experience, the Mallorcans I know who live in the city are happy about the growth of tourism. They know what they owe to it." Thanks to tourism, they have jobs, a fantastic infrastructure with good medical care, incinerators and clean roads, but a lot of money also flows into the country through the tourism industry. The island has become richer thanks to the boom.
But Maria says: "Like the demonstrators, we also think that something has to happen. The government needs to reduce tourism."
Maria S.: "The number of flights and cruise ships should be reduced"
Because the island is full. The woman from Liechtenstein feels that there are more people on the island this year than ever before. "My partner lived on Ibiza for 13 years before Mallorca, we moved just after the coronavirus period. And I had the feeling that it had gradually increased since then," says Maria.
But in Palma, where the couple live, you only feel the crowds during the high season and especially between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., when the cruise ships dock.
"They've already regulated them. Only three are allowed to stop here every day." Maria is convinced that this may be the only solution to the problem - regulating and limiting the number of tourists. "The only thing that can be done is to reduce the number of planes and cruise ships that land and dock here every day."
The tourists who no longer leave
The biggest problem that has come to a head in recent years is the housing shortage. Because many locals can no longer afford a home in the city and rents have exploded, resentment is growing.
And Maria adds thoughtfully: " Tourism, which wants to settle in Mallorca, is certainly also playing a role here."
The calculation no longer works out. The more people who don't leave the island and can afford high rents, the less is left for the locals.
But no tourism at all is not a solution either. "Most people here work in tourism, because there isn't really an industrial sector. Over 50 percent of the population works in tourism. At the end of the day, everything is connected somewhere, and without the big tourism story, the Mallorcans would ultimately have a much bigger problem."
Maria emphasizes that the problems are real and that tourism is "a tad too much". However, everything is still running smoothly at the moment, the organization is well under control and there is only chaos at the airport at peak times.
Those who can afford it should escape the island during the super months of July and August and only return in the fall, because then it is much more pleasant again. Not only in terms of the crowds, but also the climate. "Winter is wonderful on Mallorca, the island in general is simply a dream, and if you know your way around, you'll find a good spot even in high season."