Thirty-seven organisations from the Balearics will take part in Saturday's protest against the housing situation on the islands. The Palma protest will be one of 40 across Spain, this nationwide action sharing a common slogan calling for an end to "the business of housing".
Among the 37 organisations that will gather in Plaça Espanya at noon is the Mallorca No Es Ven platform. 'Mallorca Not For Sale' was started by the Banc de Temps collective in Sencelles, who were the principal organisers of the protest against the housing situation in May last year. That attracted 15,000 people according to police figures; the organisers put the number at 25,000.
A spokesperson for Mallorca No Es Ven, Javier Barbero, says the situation has worsened since last May. "Policies to protect the middle class have not appeared anywhere. The only proposals have come from the construction and real estate sectors. And these are to build more housing and liberalise land for major landowners and speculation.
"Mallorca is no longer an attractive place to work, and the number of people quitting seasonal jobs in tourism and hospitality has shot up because it's not worthwhile. The same thing is happening with education, healthcare and security."
Highlighting the vulnerability of the middle class, migrants, and families with children, Barbero contrasts this with "the direct flights from the US to Mallorca being used by American real estate agencies to inspect and purchase properties for their clients".
Recalling causes of the 1931 rent strike in Barcelona, he says there is a similar situation today - a lack of affordable housing and speculators raising prices. "There needs to be a wake-up call. Not only is the present at stake, so is the future of our children on the island. The situation is intolerable, and something is brewing. Insularity has worked against us; housing prices have risen, leaving us with no way out or options."
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This will wind up with the LEFT having another great day in Palma which I have to say is where all the problem´s are DRUG ADDIC´S , DRUG DEALING ,CRIME , PROSTITUTION ETC ETC . and we the normal public who pay taxes have to listen to all this from morning to night , I worked at many job´s and had thousands of friends along the way there is a small problem that no one really like´s to talk about there is not really outside of the hotel business a great amount of money to be made .
Remember to add all the bank workers, of which there are a huge amount, almost all connected to tourism. Not to mention the nautical sector, bin men (and women), bus drivers.........
JawsIt's a good question. It did strike me as something of an underestimate. I think the 20% are those who are directly employed in the end-user establishments such as hotels, bars and restaurants so it doesn't include those who are indirectly employed in the sector such as food suppliers, laundry services, rental cars, souvenir stores and so on. If anyone reading this has a total figure (direct + indirect) it would be very interesting to know. Whatever it is it's going to probably double the 180k so thereby making the protestors and their families even more dependent on tourists. Crazy times.
Mallorca's population has increased by around 30% in the last 20 years or so. That is why there is a shortage of housing. The vast majority of these people have come here to work in the tourist industry. It's not the fault of the tourists, it's the fault of the politicians and hotel lobby. But since they are unwilling to tackle the problem, the protesters have to do something to force the issue. If this scares off a percentage of tourists then I expect a lot of people will move elsewhere to look for work, and this will bring down the rent prices. That is the aim.
What. concerns me is that these groups are using tourists and tourism as leverage and to hostage to get what they want. I don't disagree with what they ask for. But is tourism to blame then....no! Tourists have seen allsorts of blame been levied to them from the environment to now housing. The tourists bring in rough 18 billion which is 40% of the gdp. if you aren't getting services or they are sub par.. its not the tourists to blame! that's alot of money to help towards these type of developments. I do think there is a growing disdain and dislike for tourists generally on the island. The open letter is evidence of that. the language on plaquards and graffitti is evidence ofbthat too. But If you don't have tourists where will you get the money to build? Maybe you should also consider the sharp rise on population from both Spanish national and non Spanish nationals to the island. about 400,000 in 2023/4. I don't see those getting any of the blame!
Hi Charles, Just wondering where the 80% work if not linked to tourism in some way? I'm struggling to come up with very much.
I cannot get over the irony of the slogan “ Mallorca Not For Sale'”…. after decades of Mallorquines greedily and happily selling their family properties to the rich foreigners they now so despise. The hypocrisy is shocking.
The number of Mallorcians who work in the tourism and hospitality sector amounts to 180,000 which is 20% of Mallorca's population. So, through their protests, the anti-tourism protestors who are going to be holding this noisy and no doubt threatening march through Palma's centre will affect 1 in 5 Mallorcan families if, as they demand, tourists stop coming to the island and employers in the sector are forced to reduce or close their businesses. In fact, statistically-speaking, it would be fair to say that in the march on Saturday there will be members of those tourism-employed families so they are taking action against their own families' interests. This is stupid and short-sighted. A better plan is to reduce the amount of tourist accommodation on the island by imposing restrictions on Airbnb's activities and outlawing short stays (less than 30 days). This action will release a large number of properties back onto the rental/ownership market for locals' occupation. Think, don't march. Marching won't achieve anything.