Representatives of the around 45 associations and organisations that are part of the Assemblea-23 umbrella group which is behind Saturday's demonstration in Palma unfurled a banner on the Born avenue on Tuesday in order to further publicise the rally against tourist "massification".
The main spokesperson for Assemblea-23 is Margalida Ramis of the environmentalists GOB. She said that society has begun to question the current tourism model and that not everyone has lived well because of tourism.
The demonstrators argue that there are alternatives to the "monoculture" economy of tourism and that the current government should lay the foundations for a debate about diversification. "It's time to start talking about limits and 'de-growth' and this government is the most sensitive to carrying out such initiatives. We want to give a voice to all the people who have been affected by the consequences of the 'sweet' story of tourism," added Ramis.
The demonstration will start at six o'clock on Saturday evening in the Plaça Espanya. It will demand protectionist measures for the environment and land use and denounce labour consequences of the tourism industry. With regard to this latter point, representatives from Las Kellys, the hotel chambermaids association, will play a key part as will other groups, such as the one against the Llucmajor-Campos dual carriageway development.
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SO sorry - I wrote "they're" instead of "their": no way to pull it back.
If you're going to keep complaining about tourism then WHAT ARE THE VIABLE ALTERNATIVES? Until these people produce a plan they're continual complaints are meaningless. PLEASE will this newspaper contact their leaders to find out. The current lack of workable alternatives makes their arguments pitiful.
Jimmy & Paul.... seems to be the view of most of my regular customers that come visit and have for many years. Really worrying times for small business owners !
I suspect that my trip in October will also be my last
Jason. Unfortunately there will be many more like Jeff.cooper . If there is no positives toward tourists very soon people will look for other places to visit . We have visited Mallorca a total of 30 times plus over the last 12yrs.this year alone 3 visits totalling over 7 wks. I have just booked a very short visit in Oct to say a possible goodbye to some of the business owners and residents we know. I hope it does not come to not visiting next year but flights and booking need to be sorted in advance and maybe just maybe we should look for somewhere else to visit that will welcome us just like Mallorca did 12 years ago .
The whole of Spain is heading to its biggest constitutional crisis with the Catalan referendum and yet according to these demonstrators kicking tourists out of Mallorca is much mor worthy of a demonstration.Perhaps they cannot grasp what may happen in Catalonia could destabilise not just Spain but Europe,even to a greater degree than the U.K. Vote on brexit.Still perhaps it's difficult for them to understand that should Catalan go its own way ,then Germany ,Italy,France and others could follow.Have they considered the effect this would have on tourism?
Jeff.cooper. Please don't go we love tourist really it's just a few rotten apples ruining the whole crop !
just changed my holiday plans to Bulgaria for my 2 holidays next year as it seems the Majorcan government and people do not want holiday makers on their island good buy Majorca
Jason and Henry James. I agree with both of your comments. It would be nice to see some positive counter arguments printed. My family and myself have been regular visitors for many years spending money with local businesses and am beginning to feel not wanted. I'm sure this is not the case from the businesses that are happy to take my cash. And yes I do agree not everyone has benefited. But especially outside of Palma I'm sure many many do .
Maybe not everyone has lived well because of tourism but a lot more will live very badly without it.