Yahoo News Calls for 'urgent' reduction in flights as Spanish island 'collapsing' with tourists
British tourists could see limits placed on flights to popular holiday destination Majorca as the island’s opposition party warns it is “experiencing collapse” due to high visitor numbers. It comes ahead of anti-tourism protests which are expected to be held on the island later this week.
In a press conference on Monday, Ferran Rosa, the deputy of opposition party Mes per Mallorca called for a reduction in flights to the island, stating that it would be a key way to combat tourism growth. He said: “Mallorca is no longer overcrowded, Mallorca is experiencing collapse.
“We do not live on tourism, we live poorly on tourism and it is essential to adopt urgent and forceful measures to reduce tourism today.” He added: “The number of flights needs to be reduced because you cannot have airports that, year after year, break records,” Spanish news site cadenaser.com reports.
READ MORE: Calls for limits on accommodation at Spanish holiday hotspot amid ‘anti-tourism’ protests
The party registered a ‘non-law proposition’ which calls for the government to reduce the number of flights. Rosa added: "Here, in the Balearic Islands, citizens also have the right to have a decent life."
In a post on X, Mes per Mallorca said: “We present a proposal to @ParlamentIB for: -Urgent reduction of flights and passenger arrivals - Put an end to private flights -Stop works and airport expansion projects -Manage ports and airports from here Mallorca is collapsed and it is urgent to decrease and do it today.”
The proposal comes as concerns grow in Spanish holiday hotpots over the negative impact of mass tourism, including damage to the environment and the knock-on effect on property prices for locals. In April anti-tourism protests were held in the Canary Islands, while demonstrations are planned in Ibiza on May 24 and Majorca on May 25.
Last week the president of the Balearic Islands Marga Prohens said in parliament that she had consistently defended the idea of limiting tourism growth in the islands. She added that her government intends to approach the industry in a way that adds value rather than volume.
Posting on X, she said: “To defend tourism and these islands as a destination is to set limits.” In a separate post Ms Prohens added: “I am proud to be the president of a tourism community. Precisely because we love tourism and believe in our economic model, the time has come to set limits.”
