Daniela Otero is the interim president of the UN World Tourism Organization's ethics committee. She has lived almost her entire life in Mallorca. Reflecting on recent protests, she insists there is no "tourismphobia". "Nor is there a general rejection of tourists, as some try to make out, but rather concern about a situation that is shared by cities in Europe, Asia and America."
The protests in Palma, she argues, are an expression of a problem that has existed for years but which is now knocking on the door of political leaders more loudly than ever.
"What cannot be done is to ignore what is happening," she stresses, at the same time criticising sensationalist reporting by the foreign media. This reduces the messages to headlines of the type which state that Mallorca and the Balearics are sick of tourists.
"We must get away from these stereotypes; they don't do any good. And protests in the streets should not be trivialised by saying that the problem is being politicised in Mallorca."
In her view, the islands do not have to copy models for dealing with overtourism that are being applied elsewhere, even if these may serve as inspiration. She is not in favour of a tourism decrease but advocates an expansion of infrastructures through consensual planning based on data.
Citizens must be key members of this consensus. Governments should therefore do everything possible to involve them in decision-making. "We must integrate the residents into the processes of change that are as important as these."
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Morgan WilliamsWell the Daily anything in the UK is hardly a reliable news source.
I was just in Mallorca for a week and no protests. People were generally warm and welcoming. I did spend more this year by opting to stay in hotels that were local or Spanish than AirBnbs and it was wonderful as usual. My second year coming, I hope to come for many more.
Well talk is what it is have to say all the Ho Ha in the press and internet is not good and sets the seen for the Autum and winter of us and them elections immigration problems not a good situation England is experiencing difficult times Mallorca if they want to end all the strife they need to make the airport 60% smaller Done , All prices will fall and everyone will leave but this will never happen because there is a lot of greed don’t blame any of this on the tourist there here to give you $$
I've been saying this for while now. A lot of hyperbole. Especially from British media.
It's true that Mallorca is not alone in believing tourist overcrowding is at the heart of many of its urban social and residential problems. Blame the low cost airlines for making it cheaper to fly to Palma than to travel by train from Manchester to Devon and you may be onto something. Brits who really shouldn't be allowed out of their suburban towns to travel "abroad" and who have zero understanding of how to behave in another country are flooding the coach class airlines to get to sun, sea and sangria. But how to turn back a very tsunami-sized tide? That is 64 million dollar question.