Majorca 'weighing up fines' after 125,000 UK tourists book holidays

James Rodger

15 April 2024 at 4:12 pm·2-min read

A European country with tourists which outnumber Brits 4 to 1 is considering fines. Majorca, which is a go-to for Brits who want to head to Spain and the Balearic Islands for a spring and summer getaway, has seen an influx of German holidaymakers.

Official figures revealed that while 442,156 Germans traveled through Palma airport in March, with 125,000 Britons also visiting. It meant 788,000 passengers passing through the airport in March, nearly half of whom were German.

Jaime Martinez, the mayor of Palma, has previously spoken out over the influx of holidaymakers onto the holiday hotspot - and called for the need to introduce fines in a bid to provide strict penalties and deterrents for Brits abroad.

The holiday island, which is neighboured by the likes of Ibiza, Menorca and more, wants to crackdown on fights and drinking as well as vandalism and anti-social, loutish behaviour. "Playa de Palma says enough is enough," Mayor Martinez declared.

He warned Majorca would adopt a "no-nonsense" approach. He went on: "No one deserves to have to put up with (bad) behaviour every year." Majorca has the highest percentage of foreign residents within Spain, with expats from around the world making up 18.8% of the total population.

Specifically, Mallorca is home to 187,000 foreigners. According to official statistics, 13% of all foreign residents on the island are German citizens. But despite the threat of fines, Hans Lenz of Engel & Völkers, the president of the ABINI association of national and international real estate companies in the Balearics, says tourists are positive.

"We will see more investment, quality job creation and innovation beyond tourism and construction," he said. Lawyer Alejandro del Campo of the DMS law firm says that changes to the wealth tax by the Prohens government in the Balearics will contribute to increasing the number of Germans who establish their tax residence in Mallorca.

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