Ibiza and Majorca, famed for their stunning beaches and pulsating nightlife, are now grappling with the issue of overtourism.
The islands are being swamped by holidaymakers to such an extent that finding a spot on the beach is like searching for a needle in a haystack, leaving both tourists and locals exasperated. Lucia Polla, travel guru and founder of Viva La Vita, didn’t mince her words saying: “The beaches on some of the Balearic Islands aren’t great. Ibiza and Mallorca in particular get super busy once school lets out for the summer.
“We went to Majorca one August, thinking it would be a little quieter, but boy were we wrong. The beaches were so full you could barely find a spot to lay your towel.”
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(Image: Getty))
But it’s not just the beaches feeling the squeeze; the surge of visitors is wreaking havoc on infrastructure and the housing market. Locals are struggling to find affordable accommodation as the prices have been driven up by the demand from tourists.
Wayne Kask, head honcho at Always On The Shore, explains the situation, saying: “Take Palma de Majorca. The narrow streets that once welcomed visitors with open arms are now teeming with complaints. I remember chatting with a local shop owner who vented about how the influx has made it impossible for her to find affordable housing.”
The idyllic islands of Ibiza and Majorca are buckling under the strain of overtourism, with its impact rippling beyond just beaches and housing to public services. In a bold move this May, Ibiza’s streets were flooded with protesters clamouring for a cap on tourist numbers.
Rafael Jimenez, representing the protest group Prou Ibiza, laid bare the stark reality: “A side effect of mass tourism is that house prices are rising.” He highlighted the vicious cycle, saying, “More restaurants require more workers, but these workers require places to live, and there are 10 looking for every place.”
The influx of tourists has pushed some local workers to extremes, forcing them to either live in caravans or abandon the island life entirely. Disheartened by the relentless tide of tourism, Jimenez himself relocated to mainland Spain, lamenting, “We feel that tourism is taking public places. It is very expensive.”
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