UK holidaymakers have been given a warning after a series of anti-tourism protests organised by people living on the popular European holiday island destination of Majorca. Balearic Island officials have said that they are focusing more on the needs of residents than those of tourists.
Nevertheless, they are promising a warm welcome to travellers following a series of protests across countries that are tourist hotspots.
Susanna Sciacovelli, Majorca's director of Tourism Demand and Hospitality, emphasised the island's reliance on visitors, telling the Majorca Daily Bulletin: "We live off tourism. We're no longer talking about numbers. Historically, we'd sit down with airlines and tour operators, measure how many tourists had arrived, and congratulate ourselves on having X percentage more than the previous year.
"Today, our concerns are not just about the volume of tourists visiting Mallorca but also the impact they leave behind. Indeed, in the year after Covid, we were delighted to celebrate a resurgence to pre-pandemic levels, but since then, we've shifted our focus squarely onto sustainability."
BirminghamLive reported that the tourism director said: "Let's be clear that we live off tourism: currently 87 percent of GDP and 40 percent of employment. Many destinations would kill to have what we have. In the same day, you can enjoy a round of golf, play tennis, relax at the beach, go to work, dine in a restaurant it's such a privilege. And, if we didn't have tourism, where would we be?.
"Taxes paid by hoteliers, business owners, employees, plus the money spent by tourists, help build our hospitals, our schools. It's a circular economy that gives locals their quality of life."
Sciacovelli also acknowledged the need for modifications due to the island's "limited resources".
"But you cannot, especially on a small island, continue to fixate on numbers and bring more tourists. Resources are limited and this is why we are now debating the Island of tomorrow. For the first time in our history, we're talking more to the resident than to the tourist and learning so much.
"We're not trying to win fans or public opinion, simply striving to transform the tourism industry such that it satisfies everyone. Everyone is on the right track; we just need to improve our messaging."
