The CAEB Confederation of Balearic Business Associations and the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation have both questioned the legitimacy of Sunday's protest in Palma, highlighting the conflicting estimates of participation - 8,000 said the police; 30,000 said the organisers - and a "blurring" of protest messages.
María José Aguiló, the federation's executive vice-president, said on Monday that the protest "lost all legitimacy" because of the numbers who took part, the mix of slogans of various kinds, and the insults hurled at tourists on terraces.
"This demonstration had lower numbers than last year's. In 2024, a great deal of the motivation for protests was to do with housing. Little by little, protests have become a centrifuge through which all issues such as housing, tourism, language, the situation in Palestine are passed. In this way, the protest is blurred."
Aguiló pointed out that the hotel industry shares some of the demands of the protesters and could collaborate in seeking solutions to certain problems if the complaints were addressed through other forums. "The federation's message is very demanding in terms of housing, mobility, and infrastructure. There are issues being put on the table that could have better results and more effective solutions."
Gabriel Llobera, the CAEB vice-president and CEO of Garden Hotels, condemned scenes that were witnessed on Sunday. There were anti-social acts "that should not be allowed".
"We have to look at the number of people there. There are almost 200,000 people working directly in the tourism sector, and we're talking about 8,000 people at the demonstration. If we have a million people in the Balearic Islands, that's 0.8%." He also criticised the protest for mixing its messages with other issues related to, for example, language.
Even so, Llobera later suggested that the legitimacy of a protest was not related to the number of attendees. "I don't think it's a matter of the number of people, because if we believe that overcrowding can occur at specific times or in specific places, then we could all participate in a demonstration. Overcrowding is not an issue that can be directly attributed to tourism. During the winter months, the roads are completely jammed at 8am. It's an issue of the ineffectiveness of modernisation of our infrastructure by different governments."
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1. I agree that Palma and other European cities such as Venice are overloaded with tourism and no space for people to breath but do think it's in cities where boats stop.for 1 day 2. Without tourism how can people.earn money. Even when it comes tonthe Poloce attending traffic accidents caused by not particularly observant tourtist. No tourism less Police, no.tourism less places to eat, less choices on shops, less taxis, less less less
Bryan AdamsI’ll remember that next time I am accused of being a fascist or/and a racist.
FredThe standard response to complex problems and issues, for intellectually limited rightist folk, is to shout 'Communist' or 'Marxist'. Whilst not having a real understanding of what those terms mean. And I think the 'caps' key on your computer is faulty.
Artur JednaczIt really doesn't exist much any more, hardware shops and a few other places
It is interesting discussing the problem with Mallorcans and Spanish in general. It seems that no-one really has a solution and I am not aware of any political party with a strategy. So taking aim at the non-europeans will always be popular with a minority. Problem there is that most tourists/property buyers are from the eurozone and cannot be touched. Don't forget that the problem started due to market forces. If you are Spanish and owned a property then you have two choices, sell to a local at a lower price, or sell to a foreigner at a higher one ensuring that no local will be able to purchase it back. So maybe ban any planning application linked in any way to a non Spanish resident for the next 10 years. Of course some will get round this but the majority will just give up and buy in another countryt or not at all. Reduce the number of hotel rooms, flights and cruises. All of this is possible. Then watch as the local economies start to suffer. Maybe that pain is worth the long term gain that the local are asking for?
Communists , They want or Already get everything for Free Travel , health , etc etc I have been around the world and hard to find a more privileged Folk , corruption look to Amengol she’s been packing it away for years , All the signs I saw in the protest hate the PP & Vox and People who are well off , They should spend more time working and less time talking , have a nice Summer & Bar Bosch is Mallorcan Owned !
in my opinion the way of working generates traffic jams in majorca. the senseless break called siesta creates chaotic traffic jams. why this break in work in the winter months and spring. does anyone know the answer
Roads clogged up at 8am is a global problem. Where I live in the uk we have expanded our main arterial A19 road from 2 lanes to 3 lanes and in parts 4 lanes. Still it is clogged up 8am and 4pm.
The anti-tourists protestors appear to be the very same people who want Catalan to be exclusively spoken, written and the sole language in schools throughout Mallorca in place of Spanish. A very geographically-limited language which isn't of use to anyone outside the Catalonia region. Standing outside Bar Bosch in central Palma whistling and chanting at customers is pathetic, small-minded and counter-productive. That's how myopic these protestors are. And that's why many locals are rapidly abandoning them and turning their backs.