A few days ago, the latest tourist figures - those for October - indicated that the Balearics had already exceeded the annual record for the total number of tourists. The 2023 record year had itself eclipsed the previous record by 1.3 million.
Given this, Sánchez says that there are regions, such as the Balearics, with intensive tourism activity that can have undesired effects. The pressure on resources, for example, is that much greater. "And people can perceive that they have a loss of quality of life due to tourism activity. At the same time, they do not see this activity working to their benefit."
She herself identifies benefits. "It is a source of wealth and of job creation. In the Balearics, more than 200,000 families make a living from the tourism sector, while temporary employment has been reduced by 20 percentage points over five years."
However, she concedes there is a need for limits. "It is evident that we cannot absorb more volume in certain places and times of the year. Those who currently have the powers to regulate, reduce and limit where necessary are the Balearic Government and the Council of Mallorca, both led by the Partido Popular. The citizens are demanding more courageous measures from them. It would be an historic mistake to waste the window of opportunity represented by the general consensus (for regulation) allied to the brilliant moment that tourism is enjoying."
It has been suggested that increasing the tourist tax will go some way in regulating tourist numbers. In this regard, and more generally in respect of sustainability, she congratulates the PP for having "turned their discourse on the tourism model 180%".
"They are now defending the sustainable tourism tax, but the tax was never intended to regulate flows of tourists. It was to compensate for negative effects and to distribute benefits from tourism in a better way. Brave measures are required, as we must continue to move forward."
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@Charles Dalrymple-Chumley : Group of Protestors : if the population was asked Are there too many tourists coming to Mallorca I bet more than 25% of the population would answer YES. " control and dilute " two mild and reasoned words which probably do sum up the wishes of the majority. Golden Geese always need controlling, otherwise their effluent tends to spread far and wide, around the coasts, across the countryside, along the roads, even through the skies. Dilution could maybe replaced by "strategically reduce" as in targeted reductions such as all-inclusive, bar crawls, free shots, party boats. As for the dole working people, especially small business working people work. Adapt to thrive has been a cornerstone for generations and since we are not talking of eliminating a market, just controlling it, I am sure it applies in this case. For anyone who wants to jump straight on the dole my advice would be move to the UK. Starmer and Co will welcome you by making it easy easy easy.
".....in the Balearics, more than 200,000 families make a living from the tourism sector." That's 20% of the Balearics population plus associated-to-tourism employment like working in souvenir shops, driving taxis, market stall holders and so on. A round figure of probably nearer 25%. 1 in 4 citizens wholly dependent on the tourism sector which a group of protestors are turning against wanting to control and dilute the golden goose. Let's hope that the Government has deep pockets for unemployment benefits claims.