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Anti-tourism activists from the Balearics are warning sunseekers to avoid Mallorca this summer.
Seven environmental organizations have signed an open letter to tourists, accusing them of the problems on the island and urging them not to choose that destination for their summer vacation.
The letter, published in Catalan, Spanish, English, and German, identifies foreign visitors – namely British and German – as the source of the island’s overcrowding problem.
“It is time to make a statement.” “Our leaders don’t listen to us so we ask you, the residents: DON’T COME!” thunders it.
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“We don’t need any more tourists. You are the cause of the problem. Mallorca isn’t what they say it is.
The letter begins by stating that in the 1970s, ‘Mallorca was known as the island of calm,’ – a situation that has since changed dramatically.
The report says that “the island has been exploited in unimaginable ways, resulting in the collapse we now suffer.”
“The tourism industry’s money has attracted traders from around the world to trade with our island.
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“The greed and avarice of hoteliers, politicians, real estate agents and all kinds of ‘parasites’ have brought us to an emergency situation.”
These people ‘prioritise their economic interests over the well-being of residents’, and the groups demand that the political class regulates the problem ‘to prevent a major disaster.’
“However surprisingly, rather than listening and taking action in order to reverse this crises, they deny the reality and continue promoting tourism on established markets such as Berlin Fair.”
The letter continues by presenting some examples of the unsustainable development in Mallorca.
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It claims that, over the last 40 years, the population of Mallorca has grown by 84% – second only to India globally.
Meanwhile, tourist numbers have grown by 30% over the last 25 years, but the Balearic Islands have fallen in the European per capita income rankings from 48 to 148 – ‘more tourism no longer generates wealth but poverty’.
In 2024, Palma airport handled over 33 million passengers, with the islands as a whole receiving 15.3 million visitors – a 6.1% increase on the previous year.
The environmentalists claim that ‘mass tourism has caused deterioration of the territory and ecosystem,’ along with saturation of public services, gentrification, and an excessive increase in the cost of living.
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The island has become uninhabitable, forcing many locals to leave.
It’s time for you to leave. In the letter, the groups state that they don’t require more tourists. “In fact, you have caused the problem.
The signature has been obtained from SOS Residents, Menys turisme mes vida, Gob, Gadma, Alternativa per Pollença, Brunzit, The following are some examples of how to get started: Amics de la Vall de Coanegra.
On April 5, a protest against tourism will start a potential summer of discontent.
