Anger in Mallorca grows before the record season: « Coming! »
The countdown runs on Mallorca: Easter is the most popular holiday island of Germans into a new season, which, according to the industry, will break all visitor records. On April 24th, the four-day opening parties of the Bierkönig and Megapark cult locals will start at the Ballermann. They are the official start of the season. While Mallorca fans from the cool north, as well as hoteliers, restaurant and bar owners, rub their hands expectantly, there is also great concern in Palma. And often the bare anger.
The reason: You expect the Balearica with Mallorca to crack the 20 million visitors for the first time this year. Good for the wallet of the industry and in principle also for the economy of the Spanish Mediterranean Islands. But even the tourism minister of the conservative regional government, Jaume Bauzá, recently admitted: « We have reached a limit. »
He means the almost 19 million visitors who came in 2024. It was already one million or five percent more than 2023. Mallorca alone, which less than a million inhabitants, received 13.5 million tourists. In 2024, the number of visitors from Germany even climbed nine percent in the Balearic Islands to the historical maximum mark of a good five million.
Arm despite work-not everyone benefits from the tourism boom
Legendous 22.4 billion euros left tourists from the out and domestic on the islands – about twelve percent more than in the previous year. In Mallorca, tourism has a share of well over 40 percent in total income. Not everyone benefits from it. On the contrary: According to official information, every fifth Balearician resident is considered to be at risk of poverty.
« Mallorca is spreading rapidly, » recently headed the « Mallorca Magazin ». There are “more and more hard settlements” on the tracks of the Soller train, which is popular with tourists, a historic narrow-gauge railway. A report by the « Mallorca Zeitung » on the social situation lasted the heading last year: « Despite work: in Mallorca, many people no longer have any money for eating. »
Housing shortage, price increase, pollution
In addition to the number of visitors, the number of holiday apartments is also growing. From the perspective of tenant associations, environmental protection groups and other organizations, there are numerous negative consequences: they include housing shortage, pollution, traffic jams and noise, a general price increase and the destruction of nature. There were already several protests against mass tourism last year. The resentment is greater.
Anger drives people onto the street and the lack of apartments that rents to new heights, which is why residents of the island have to spend an increasing proportion of their income for rent, often more than 50 percent. Photo: Clara Margais/dpa
In March, seven Mallorcan organizations released a fire letter in which the tourists are called to stay at home. « Don’t come here! » And « stays at home », the open letter said. Mallorca is « not the paradise that you are sold ». The island is « completely overcrowded », experience « a collapse ». « The locals are angry and no longer hospitable because you destroy the country we love and because many residents have to emigrate because the island has become uninhabitable. »
Authorities have many plans – but little is happening
Just a few days ago, thousands in Palma – as in all of Spain – moved back onto the streets during a demonstration against the shortage of housing. The town hall repeatedly announced improvements, but little is happening. On the contrary: new rules of conduct are planned with which homeless people should literally be followed by critics.
Sleeping in parks should be banned as well as staying in the caravan. The campers, on the other hand, protested so loudly that Mayor Jaime Martínez ranged a little back and wanted to remove the passages for the caravan from the proposal.
Hotel owners deny overcrowding of the island
Meanwhile, the tourism industry warns against sawing on the branch on which many sit. She criticizes the government’s plans in Palma to contain the excesses of mass tourism with new measures. It is also planned to increase the tourist taxes to up to six euros per capita.
The Fehm hotelier association denies that Mallorca is overcrowded. There is no mass tourism, Fehm President Javier Vich asserts. However, restrictions are essential from the point of view of the vice head of government Antoni Costa. One has to « take into account the well -being of the residents ».
For a long time Mallorca was ridiculed as a « cleaning women », then as a goal for « drinking tourists ». In the meantime, the island is experiencing a rush of the rich. Photo: Clara Margais/dpa
« Mallorca is slowly becoming an expensive island, » says Mika Ferrer, head of the entrepreneurial association Palma Beach, who is committed to more quality at Playa. « The vacationers only have a limited budget. » However, hotel and restaurant operators would hardly have a choice other than lifting the prices. « In any case, we don’t want to let up in terms of quality, » said Ferrer.
New security concept against « drinking tourism »
108 of the 115 Playa hotels enrolled at Palma Beach are open at Easter. That is 94 percent. The rest follows up on May 1st. « The bookings are over 80 percent, » says Ferrer. It is enthusiastic about the new security concept that Mayor Martínez recently presented.
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The Palmas local police are to be increased to 275 civil servants. With three million euros from the revenue of tourist tax, eight new police cars, cameras were bought for the so -called Schinkenstrasse and three drones to monitor the Ballermann.
The residents have long been a thorn in the side of “drinking tourism”. Photo: Clara Margais/dpa
Martínez: « It’s about ensuring safety around the clock 24 hours. » He is committed to ensuring that the « excesses of recent years » do not repeat themselves, says the mayor. The new measures should start on April 17. It remains to be seen whether they have an effect. There have been big words before the season in the past of many island politicians.
