The protests in the Balearic Islands follow similar demonstrations in the Canary Islands.
Protests against mass tourism and gentrification in Palma de Mallorca. Photo: REUTERS/Juan Medina
A demonstrator holds a sign reading “Rebels without a home” during a protest against mass tourism in Palma de Mallorca on May 25. REUTERS/Juan Medina
Graham Keely, Juan Medina, Antoine Demaison
Yesterday at 11:07
Thousands of people protested in Spain’s Balearic Islands on Saturday against mass tourism ahead of the summer season.
Protesters carried signs reading “Dear residents, enough of mass tourism” and marched through Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the Balearic island. A spokesman for the Spanish national police said about 10,000 demonstrators took part.
Smaller protests involving several hundred people took place on the island of Menorca.
“The authorities want to ban people who haven’t lived here for more than five years from buying property and to tighten regulations on holiday accommodation,” said Carme Reynes, whose group organised the protests in Palma de Mallorca.
Real estate agent Javier Carbonell said more than half the properties were being used for holiday lettings, making them unaffordable for locals.
“We want to reduce mass tourism and increase sustainable tourism,” Carbonell said.
A demonstrator holds a sign reading “Rebels without a home” during a protest against mass tourism in Palma de Mallorca on May 25. REUTERS/Juan Medina
The Balearic Islands were Spain’s second most popular tourist region after Catalonia last year, attracting 14.4 million holidaymakers, according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute.
Around 18 million tourists visited Catalonia, and 13.9 million visited the Canary Islands.
Tourism generates 45 percent of the Balearic Islands’ gross domestic product, according to data from industry group Exceltur.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – May 27, 2024
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – May 27, 2024
Around 1,000 protesters took part in a new demonstration against mass tourism on Ibiza, one of the Balearic islands’ most popular, on Friday.
“We want new tourist restrictions and a further ban on illegal apartments. Fewer apartments on the market means higher prices,” said Rafael Jimenez, spokesman for Pro Ibiza, which organized Friday’s protest.
In April, thousands of people protested in the Canary Islands, calling for a temporary ban on tourists to stem soaring housing costs for locals caused by a surge in short-term vacation rentals and hotel construction.
