The Menys Turisme Més Vida (Less Tourism More Life) platform says sixty entities have so far expressed their intention to take part in the demonstration on Sunday, June 15 that will be one of several to be staged simultaneously elsewhere in Spain and other European countries.
The slogan for the protest will be 'For the right to a decent life; Stop touristification'. The platform is the coordinator in Mallorca for protests under the umbrella of the Southern Europe Network Against Touristification. Balma Albalat and Jaume Pujol, spokespeople for Menys Turisme Més Vida, say other groups are expected to join the call for the rally.
As well as Palma, there are expected to be protests in Ibiza, Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, the Canaries, Granada, San Sebastián and Valencia. Lisbon, Naples and Venice are also part of the network; there may be other cities.
To publicise the protest, a manifesto was read out in Palma's Parc de la Mar on Saturday. This stated: "Our territory is not for sale. It is urgent to put limits on the growth of tourism, to demand a change of direction and to point the way to degrowth as a solution to the overexploitation of our resources and the exclusion of residents."
It was said that protests since last year have been ignored by political institutions and ridiculed by the tourism sector. There have been "false announcements of a new approach to tourism business towards sustainability", but these have been "manipulation and a denial of the problems".
Attention was drawn to "a new wave of territorial destruction, regulatory deregulation and depletion of resources due to the urban amnesty for rural land and the land liberalisation process of the Partido Popular and Vox".
A protest against the housing situation in Mallorca in April attracted fewer people than a similar demonstration in May last year. The organisers estimated there were around half as many people - 12,000 rather than 25,000. The Spanish Government's delegation in the Balearics, which authorises protests, reckoned there were 3,000, having estimated 15,000 on the previous occasion. The lower turnout gave rise to speculation that there is a protest fatigue and a demoralisation because there have been no signs of improvements.
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Are there actually anybody bodies or consultation groups working this problem? As opposed to lots of people pointing fingers at each other? I am sure that some great ideas could be formulated with the right mix of people in the room.
Zoltan TeglasI arrived on the island yesterday and was greeted by the same always lovely people .. In the taxi to Newcastle airport my driver a regular in Tenerife asked if I ever came across anti tourist sentiment. I said no. He’s had trouble the last twice there and looking to elsewhere after 30yrs of travelling to that same H10 hotel. He said they’re particularly anti British and German. Little things like ignoring customers at breakfast time for tea & coffee. Like I said it’s a big world.
These badly educated idiot kids with nothing to do should focus their attention on their grandparents who sold off houses and land for a small fortune before blaming anyone else.
David HollandWhere has anyone said that they want ' no tourists' ? The vast majority of residents in Mallorca have said they want 'less' tourists. The never ending increase in numbers has not benefited local people. In fact it's had the opposite effect, as thousands of workers have moved here to work in the tourist industry, pushing up rents etc. A reduction of tourist numbers is needed.
I am reliably informed, that the universities in Mallorca take their studies only in Catalan including their exams. Many of the students cannot speak English beyond a restaurant meal or TV chat. Thus when they are on the jobs market they are severely encumbered in their choice of employers in turn restricting their global earning capacity. I am told that schools too, do not put much store in speaking English, preferring to only employ Spanish speakers as English teachers with only the odd exception.
Yep - so of the 500,000 people living in Mallorca - 12 turned up to ‘launch their manifesto’ - mmm hardly an overwhelming majority
Trying to take money from the rich is always going to end up in failure. Only once the rich realise they have no more slaves as they have no where to live will they take any notice.
Stan The ManHow do you know this is a direct result of the protestors Stan?
Just kids and bored women, trying to make a difference.
So no tourists fine , the world is full of countries wanting tourists including Saud. But what is Spain gonna replace tourists with.. Nothing that I can see . Some talk of agriculture in-the Balearics. Wow basic industries that these kid grandparents walked away from 70 yrs ago. I dont think so.