Sollerland: AI images spark tourism debate

In Soller’s melting pot, tourism goes on, and the microscope is now on the ‘day trippers’. When Soller wakes up in the morning, the Placa and the beach front of the Port of Soller are normal. People going about their lives, hotel guests having breakfast, children going to school. After 7pm the same is true, after work shopping, dinner for the visitors in restaurants and hotels, or a picnic on the beach. At weekends the evening trade can be livelier as locals have time to join the vibe.

In the hours between those two scenarios buses get held up, traffic jams galore, appalling driving as all signs are ignored. The motorists who cut across white lines, hold up a stream of traffic on the main road to enable them to manoeuvre into a tight parking spot are just two of the major problems. I could go on and on. The driving and bad manners of the drivers are just awful.

So how does the rhetoric get changed? First it was the tourist, then the second homeowner and now it is the day trippers turn. Someone has to be to blame, it is a fact of life. No matter how intelligent society becomes a scapegoat is always necessary. This week it is the turn of the day tripper – next week who knows?

Behind the scenes car parks are being developed, new bus stops installed, and a low emission centre is being developed. Of course the cry is ‘too little too late’ as we watch the workers and the bulldozers each day.

Small town chatter is a contributor to all this and thus it has ever been. Unfortunately, Sollerland and its images have taken this outside ‘small town’. Sollerweb have had calls from the USA, Australia and South Africa about these images. The potential visitors are questioning their welcome in Soller and whether they will be safe. All very well for the thinkers in Soller to dismiss these fears, but words, and especially images, have power.

As all the chatter goes on the visitors here are having the best time. The sun is shining which the first important factor. The Soller tourism professionals give great service and the ‘foodie paradise’ continues to thrive. The yachting sector brings us a few families living on their boats for the summer. The odd dinghy bringing children from boat to school is an occasional sight.

Party mode for Soller’s battle

Fira and Firo occupies us and the mother of all battles is due to take place on the beach and in town on Monday, May 12 2025. Soller is in party mode right now and the fair is in town too. Great events every day as local people meet up and share one of the most important events in the Soller Calendar. Last weekend we enjoyed the first Children’s Firo. This was a wonderful occasion and the children, and their parents gave their hearts to the experience. It’s now time to do it all again in the time-honoured fashion. The Soller Valley is the place to be.