Professor Antoni Riera has been given a huge responsibility. A leading economist, he is the coordinator of the working groups formed under the Balearic government's aim for a social and political pact for sustainability and is in effect the architect for redefining Balearic tourism strategy over the coming decades.
In broad terms, he says that the mission is to establish a sustainable tourism growth pattern at a time when it is accepted that the current one is not. "The carrying capacity of many relevant factors has been exceeded, giving rise to economic, social and environmental problems."
Tourism, he says, contributes to development and prosperity, but tourism also has to be "proactive and decisive when it comes to facing and responding to global challenges, mainly those related to economic inequality, climate change and pollution, technological innovation and global connectivity".
Professor Antoni Riera. Photo: Jaume Morey.
He refers to demographic pressure, a combination of resident and temporary populations and believes that it is possible to reduce this pressure. "Not only do I conceive it, but I believe that society is demanding a future scenario of less demographic pressure. And if I am right, we have to identify ways of achieve this. I can only think of one way: decoupling the annual economic growth of the Balearics from the growing increase in population, workers, international tourists and other production factors."
A big issue is whether or not to limit the number of tourists arriving in Mallorca and the Balearics. Professor Riera argues that it is not a question of whether a strategy is easy or difficult, but whether it is possible, viable and socially efficient, whether it is the best and least costly response for society.
"Limiting arrivals is not possible because the Spanish and European legal system does not allow it. But even if we imagined it were possible, I can assure you that it is not viable. It is not the best solution to the big problem we face. Acting in isolation or partially on the number of cruise ships, tourists, residents, fairs, cars - whether to increase them or reduce them or reallocate them - cannot be done without taking into account the complex interrelations that exist within the Balearic tourism system. There is no simple and straightforward relationship between cause and effect, but a complex interaction that can lead to unpredictable results.
"Saturation is one of the many symptoms that society suffers as a consequence of a big issue, one we have not faced up to for more than 20 years: the way in which the Balearics grow and generate well-being. We cannot continue to deal with the problems in the ways we have - simplistic, fragmented and partial.
"We have been getting poorer for 20 years. In 2000, the per capita income was 22.8% higher than that of a European citizen, today it is 10% lower. The gap has widened. And we will continue to become poorer, year after year, whatever we do, until we banish a pattern of economic growth that has been in place since the 1960s and that has been unable to move from volume to value when it should have - and that was in the mid-nineties.
"With the first tourist boom, the Balearics were able to bring about a productivity revolution that placed the islands among the 50 most prosperous regions in Europe. Productivity increased in the 60s and 70s. But after reaching a peak in 1994, it began to decline. After 30 years we have still not recovered that maximum level of productivity and the negative impacts of tourism have only increased. In the last decade we have barely recovered enough productivity to maintain the well-being to which this society legitimately aspires.
"The risk is no longer saturation, demographic growth, housing prices, noise, and social, spatial and cultural inequality, but that we lose the possibility of continuing to progress. It is necessary to recognise that tourism has been a social elevator, but after a long period of prosperity it has also created elements of rupture that are compromising tourism's ability to continue being a driver of progress. Today, the risk is that tourism can no longer continue to generate wealth and well-being."
Richard PearsonYou register them with the Guarda Civil and charge them tourist tax of course!
Not.
Actually, there’s no real provision for such input on the GC huéspedes site.
There are plenty of mainland Spanish and countless other nationals living here who must have family and friends over to visit. There is a letter of invitation requirement for non EU nationals. It’s never been enacted though, because it would cause absolute chaos at border control.
So. Family and friends are welcome. And as for EU second home owners? That’s EU Freedom of movement. But, it does all add to the island’s population throughout the year, especially in the summer.
Zoltan TeglasThey (being central government) can’t even limit the amount of people arriving without documents or return tickets so how are they going to limit people arriving with both ?.
So start with cruise ships. That’s an easy one - and a model of control used by other over crowded European cities.
Then rental car numbers - limit them.
Enforce the existing ETV laws. Fines of up to 40 k are scary, but only if inspectors are employed to fine rogue illegal holiday lets.
Stop giving permission for new boutique hotels and giant new 5 star palaces …
Good starting place? It’s not rocket science - all the above is legal, possible and relatively easy.
The international negative media covering the islands will do the rest ….
Surely the Spanish/Balearic government has the power to limit the number of flights and ferries that come to Mallorca if they want to.
If so, it's totally possible to limit the amount of tourists that come to Mallorca
Well the choice seems to be leaving the European Union and becoming a hermit kingdom.
Or
seeing the vast majority come by airplane, limit landing slots.
And take out licensed bed capacity.
Both will push up prices and limit numbers.
Supply and demand.
Or push up the visitors tax on point of arrival to 40euros a day. That catches all , including the cruise ship hordes.
Everything is impossible until it becomes possible! What another load of blah blah blah! These people just love to talk but say nothing. So after all of that waffle, what is the solution Einstein!?!? Anyway, this will soon be a moot point as after what i have just seen happening in Barcelona with the squirting of water and intimidation of tourists, no one will be coming anyway!
I'm sure it will be in the MDB tomorrow, but I for one would punch someone's lights out if they sprayed my laptop with water! They should be arrested for assault and criminal damage. Absolutely disgusting and worrying at the same time in as you can see where this is going. Pit resident against tourist, work it up to fever pitch and create animosity, hatred and ultimately violence. The orchestrators should be locked up for inciting hatred! "They" are quick enough to act when its against blacks, gays, jews and trannies!!! Treat this lot the same!
".............but a complex interaction that can lead to unpredictable results"
That goes the same for all political decisions, no just tourism.
Fixes one problem and causes many others.
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Richard PearsonYou register them with the Guarda Civil and charge them tourist tax of course! Not. Actually, there’s no real provision for such input on the GC huéspedes site. There are plenty of mainland Spanish and countless other nationals living here who must have family and friends over to visit. There is a letter of invitation requirement for non EU nationals. It’s never been enacted though, because it would cause absolute chaos at border control. So. Family and friends are welcome. And as for EU second home owners? That’s EU Freedom of movement. But, it does all add to the island’s population throughout the year, especially in the summer.
Zoltan TeglasThey (being central government) can’t even limit the amount of people arriving without documents or return tickets so how are they going to limit people arriving with both ?.
Lisa JuliaAnd when your family and friends come to visit (and stay with you) ?
So start with cruise ships. That’s an easy one - and a model of control used by other over crowded European cities. Then rental car numbers - limit them. Enforce the existing ETV laws. Fines of up to 40 k are scary, but only if inspectors are employed to fine rogue illegal holiday lets. Stop giving permission for new boutique hotels and giant new 5 star palaces … Good starting place? It’s not rocket science - all the above is legal, possible and relatively easy. The international negative media covering the islands will do the rest ….
Surely the Spanish/Balearic government has the power to limit the number of flights and ferries that come to Mallorca if they want to. If so, it's totally possible to limit the amount of tourists that come to Mallorca
Well the choice seems to be leaving the European Union and becoming a hermit kingdom. Or seeing the vast majority come by airplane, limit landing slots. And take out licensed bed capacity. Both will push up prices and limit numbers. Supply and demand. Or push up the visitors tax on point of arrival to 40euros a day. That catches all , including the cruise ship hordes.
Everything is impossible until it becomes possible! What another load of blah blah blah! These people just love to talk but say nothing. So after all of that waffle, what is the solution Einstein!?!? Anyway, this will soon be a moot point as after what i have just seen happening in Barcelona with the squirting of water and intimidation of tourists, no one will be coming anyway! I'm sure it will be in the MDB tomorrow, but I for one would punch someone's lights out if they sprayed my laptop with water! They should be arrested for assault and criminal damage. Absolutely disgusting and worrying at the same time in as you can see where this is going. Pit resident against tourist, work it up to fever pitch and create animosity, hatred and ultimately violence. The orchestrators should be locked up for inciting hatred! "They" are quick enough to act when its against blacks, gays, jews and trannies!!! Treat this lot the same!
And the answer is......... answers on a postcard to the minister of tourism.
".............but a complex interaction that can lead to unpredictable results" That goes the same for all political decisions, no just tourism. Fixes one problem and causes many others.