The Balearics tourism minister, Jaume Bauzá, accepts that tourism markets are concerned by protests but says there isn't as much concern as there was last year. "We haven't received any major warning signs."
A week on from the protest in Palma, Bauzá has repeated a government line of respecting the demonstrations "so long as they take place in a harmonious atmosphere". The hoteliers federation and the business confederation argued that the protest wasn't representative of Mallorcan society - the Spanish Government's delegation provided an estimate of 8,000 people.
"Some will consider this a representative figure and others will not. In any case, we must respect it and at the same time reject violent and anti-social attitudes. This will not change the dynamic of a government committed to restraint and balance. These demonstrations stem from policies of the past that failed to take into account the illegal tourism offer that is now rampant."
As to how the season is going, the minister says May wasn't as good as expected (it should be noted that the official figures for May won't be published until the start of July). "The initial forecasts for the season were more optimistic than they are today. From what we're hearing, the season will be good, although below the initial expectations. It will be a good season, in line with last year but not better."
Having highlighted the illegal offer, Bauzá believes that the effects of new measures to tackle this will begin to be noticed. "I'm sure we'll be able to see results once the year is over. We have expanded the scope of the tourist tax so that significant amounts can be diverted to the fight against illegal accommodation. The island councils have received millions of euros and have been able to increase the number of inspectors."
The government has been criticised for not having gone further in restricting apartment holiday lets. At one point, it had seemed as if it would seek to ban these, but the minister explains that consideration had to be given to potential compensation claims.
"Barcelona has banned these rentals and is facing claims amounting to 4.2 billion euros. Those we have here were once authorised with full rights. We will not permit more, while for renewing licences we will increase the requirements with the aim of gradually reducing them. The island councils will set the criteria and increase the requirements so that, little by little, people stop renting to tourists."
In general, Bauzá and the Partido Popular government acknowledge it will be difficult to introduce further measures to address overtourism. This is because of the current parliamentary arithmetic and the PP's reliance on Vox in order to approve the budget. An increase in the rate of the tourist tax in high summer and a tax on hire cars were measures the PP would have adopted had it not been for Vox.
Bauzà nevertheless stresses that "other types of legislative changes will surely have to be made, even if these are unlikely to be possible due to the parliamentary balance". Of the measures that have been adopted, he says: "We cannot expect results from today to tomorrow. It is a long road, and these are measures that need sufficient time to be consolidated and for us to see the first results. They are an important foundation, as we are certain - and we all agree - that we have reached a limit."
8 comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Ulla JacksonYes, we mean the same thing. Restrict car rental so it's only to people staying in remote areas.
Ulla JacksonI think you have misunderstood the meaning of Brisket’s use of “restrict”. Restricting car rental to those in remote areas means only they should have access to rental cars because, as you say, they are the ones needing a rental car.
BrisketRestrict car rental to people staying in remote areas?! A. They are the ones needing a rental car B. Restrict all rental cars to people who stay with Public transport instead!
Remember the old days? They arrived at the airport. A coach took them to their hotel . They generally stayed in the resort except to go on preplanned coach trips to the caves, to Pto Soller, to Palma city. Only the rich independent travellers of which proportionally there weren't many, could afford a rental car. Add to that a much smaller resident population of locals and expats who drove smaller cars less distance on the bumpy roads and you had an island that could live with itself throughout the summer. I remember it even if most of you don't. Boy am I glad I don't have to sort out the mess its all become.
Totally agree with Zoltan. It's pathetic. And taxing things doesn't reduce them. I thought illegal holiday lets came with a €40,000 fine? Secure these fines. Each one would pay the wages of entitle another officer. Also: Reduced the number of passengers allowed in on cruises. That's easy. Taxing them won't reduce numbers. Restrict car rental to people staying in more remote areas. If people are holidaying in the main resorts y don't need them, instead encourage public transport. And get the hoteliers to provide better, perhaps even free transport to and from their hotels and resorts. This will also massively reduce the issues placed like Soller are having, as visits will be restricted by public transport limits. Ditto for Palma on those "rainy day" stampedes. Force hoteliers to provide accommodation for their staff, reducing pressure on local housing. Restrict group cycling activities. We don't need fake cycling teams pretending to be in a peleton clogging up all our transport links. Our roads are not entertainment for foreigners. Instead encourage normal family cycling on cycle routes. Maybe such a ban could be from May to October, to slow don't cycling. But do something. Ditto for all the nonsense quad biking trips damaging the countryside. Ban airBnB listings. And similar companies. I can't see anyone complaining about these measures and it will reduce the impact of tourism, and keep it to the more tourist capable areas. Sure these might not all be doable but saying there's nothing that can be done is gross negligence.
Let’s be honest—this crackdown on Airbnb-style rentals isn’t about protecting locals or preserving culture. It’s about market capture. Mallorca has a hard cap of 430,000 tourist beds. That means every bed lost by a private holiday let is one the hotel lobby gets to gobble up. And they know it. So they lobby hard for tighter rules, zoning hurdles, and bureaucratic hoops—not to clean up tourism, but to quietly squeeze out competition and expand their share without ever building public support. Follow the incentives, not the rhetoric.
What a pathetic situation. The government acknowledges a problem but basically shrugs and says we aren't going to do much more to solve the problem blaming other parties for their inaction and lack of ambition. Such surrender deserves a new wave of protest to try to force some change on these fat cat lazy politicians.
"we all agree - that we have reached a limit." Really? So why are you giving licences for more hotels to be built? Typical politician, saying what he thinks the public wants to hear, whilst actually doing the opposite.