Spain: Holidaymakers go to the beach in Majorca
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Majorca is one of Spain’s leading tourist destinations. The island is now set to limit the number of tourists who can visit.
Majorca experienced a boom in summer visitors this year following the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
However, there have been protests on the islands as locals complain about rowdy behaviour and crowded streets.
Tourism leaders have said they want quality tourism over quantity and want to stamp out drunken tourism.
Majorca Council has now confirmed it will set a limit on the number of tourist beds available and how they can be marketed.
Island president Catalina Cladera said: “We want tourism of greater value and less volume and the new tourism law marks the roadmap with the moratorium and the blocking of new places.
“I will not deny it, this summer there has been overcrowding in some points and in punctual moments.”
Majorca will also increase the number of tourism inspectors to crackdown on illegal accommodation.
However, two star hotels and budget venues have announced they will fight back against the local Government’s plans.
They have said that the controversial proposals will ruin hundreds of family businesses on the island.
According to the Government, €10million (£8.7million) has been put aside to purchase one or two-star hotels described as “lesser standard holiday accommodation”.
The Government would also buy low-class entertainment venues in areas in Majorca and Ibiza.
The buildings would then be regenerated in a bid to attract quality tourists to the stunning island.
Business owners have said 321 businesses will be ruined by the plans and 2,500 jobs will be lost.
The Spanish Association of Hotel Managers and Directors (AEDH) said the plan should be abandoned.
It said: “It is urgent to defend this type of establishment and the businessmen who run low-category hotels if we don’t want the most important and strategic aspect of the Balearic islands to remain in the hands of foreign investment funds whose only pursuit is their own economic interests and which are not involved in the sustainability nor in the values and culture of the islands.”
It added: “It will ruin small hotels and hostels with two or fewer stars, most of them run by island families who are going to lose their main source of income by seeing their hotels expropriated for ridiculous prices.”
The hoteliers said the Government had failed to explain what would happen once the establishments were closed.
They have called for unions to become involved and have accused the Government of creating residential holiday homes.
The plans could affect British tourists as there is likely to be less accommodation available in summer.
Additional reporting by Rita Sobot.
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