Editorial: Behaving badly

THERE is a school of thought on the island which says that tourists should be allowed to do what they want because they are our main source of revenue and we would be lost without them. It is like one of those slogans you see on T-shirts “what you do in Majorca stays in Majorca.” But times are changing and councils are calling time on unruly behaviour and even the dress sense of tourists. Some would accuse them of being kill joys, others will say that it is about time. But what is clear is that bad behaviour will no longer be tolerated even if  you bring the island valuable revenue. In Palma you come into town without a top and you risk a heavy fine, in San Antonio in Ibiza you can be fined for shouting and Calvia is even planning a crackdown on pub crawls. I suspect that Calvia will also be introducing  its own good conduct guide. Now the tour firms will point out that times are hard and Majorca should welcome tourists with open arms. The local councils will be giving them a warm welcome providing they behave. I think all this legislation forms part of the so-called “new Majorca,” which is not tourism at any cost. Majorcans have had enough of tourists behaving badly. Of course much of the “good citizen guide”  is aimed at local residents but it also pays special attention to tourists;“Keep Calm, and Carry On; Majorca only wants well behaved tourists,” could be the new slogan for Summer 2014.  But in some ways Majorca is also saying enough is enough.