Fresh protest against mass tourism in Mallorca

Demonstrators initially gathered in the evening at the Plaza de España in the centre of Palma, the capital of the Spanish Mediterranean island. From there, the procession made its way through the city centre to the cathedral, where a manifesto was due to be read out later that evening.

The ‘Menys Turisme, Més Vida’ (Less Tourism, More Life) initiative, under the slogan ‘Mallorca at its limit, called for protests for the third year running on the island – which is particularly popular with tourists from Germany and the UK – and had expected up to 40,000 participants. Local police estimated the number of demonstrators at 25,000.

Many participants carried homemade placards. “Mallorca overbooked” or “No more capacity” were among the slogans displayed. A spokesman for the organizers told journalists that, with the Balearic regional elections a year away, they wanted to make their views known.

The timing was deliberately chosen to coincide with the current peak holiday season. Late July and early August are considered the weeks with the highest number of holidaymakers on the Balearic island.

The main demand is a cap on visitor numbers. The rising number of holidaymakers and holiday lettings is blamed for the severe housing shortage. The organizers of the protest lament that many people on an average income can barely afford a flat on the island.

Neighbourhood associations, environmental groups and other organizations also attribute problems such as pollution, traffic jams and noise, as well as the destruction of the natural environment, to mass tourism.

At the rally, the German-Mallorcan singer Maria Hein was due to perform the Mallorcan anthem ‘La Balanguera’. No significant incidents or attacks involving water pistols on holidaymakers – such as those that had occurred during earlier protests in Barcelona or Madrid – were initially reported in Palma.