BRITAIN has backed the Spanish crackdown on boozy tourists, hailing new holiday rules as “perfectly logical”.
Hugh Elliott, the UK’s ambassador to Spain, urged British holidaymakers to “show responsibility” and act as “guests” while visiting the party resorts of the Balearic Islands.
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During a visit to Ibiza, Elliott met the president of Ibiza’s Island Council Vicent Mari and said it is totally understandable that local authorities want visitors to behave themselves.
The diplomat said: “We are guests on this island and we understand they want tourists to behave well and responsibly.
“There must be co-existence between tourists and locals. There must not be any damage or inappropriate behaviour.
“Therefore, these new rules make perfect sense to me. We need to understand each other and work together.”
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Eliiott’s visit to Ibiza came just four days after the authorities at the holiday hotspot hit tourists with a devastating nightly booze ban.
They have now prohibited drinking alcohol on the streets at night in a bid to curb excess tourism.
The new laws also include the forced night-time closure of shops selling alcohol and fines of up to £1,300 for people caught boozing in the street.
The measure will apply to most affected by the high number of tourists such as Llucmajor, Palma, Calvia (Magalluf) and Sant Antoni in Ibiza.
The rule will be in place at least until December 31, 2027.
Offenders will face more serious consequences if they are found disrupting harmony on the streets and public roads after drinking alcohol.
Jaime Martínez, mayor of Majorca’s capital Palma, said that these laws will help them “correct uncivil attitudes” that are often displayed by tourists in the city.
He added that offenders breaching rules could be fined up to £2,600 – and more rules are to be revealed in the coming months.
Fines under the new laws
AUTHORITIES in Majorca are cracking down on tourits by imposing fresh bans on drinking on the streets and graffiti vandalism.
Any tourist breaching the new rules could be slapped with a fine of £1,300.
The penalty can be increased up to £2,600, in case the grounds of the offence are more serious.
Fines for graffiti, vandalism and loud slogans have also been increased to £2,600.
If minors are found to commit graffiti vandalism, their parents will be held responsible – and will be forced to pay the fine amount.
Flooding the streets with banners, posters and advertising brochures is now prohibited,
Destroying listed buildings, monuments, and other important public areas would be considered a serious offence – and could attract fines up to £2,600.
While tourists have accused the Balearic Islands’ regional government of “killing” popular resorts, Elliott brushed off the criticism saying: “We respect the rules that are approved.”
The diplomat – set to be replaced this summer – also addressed the growing concern about the effects of mass tourism which has led to a local protest being organised on May 24 in the island capital.
He said: “We have learnt what tourism brings but we understand the challenge of the risk of saturation.
“We will support any measures like action against illegal rents that can be taken to alleviate the effects on Ibiza’s population.”
“Generally what we all want is responsibility. It’s a question of knowing how to behave with responsibility and have a good time.”
Meanwhile, the Committee of Tourism, Trade, Employment, Culture and Sport has reportedly approved an initiative to reintroduce a cap on cruise ships to Palma, the island’s capital.
It calls on the Balearic Government to reach an agreement with the cruise lines and shipping agents, the Majorca Daily Bulletin reports.
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The approval of the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) and Palma City Council will also be required to renew the agreement on limiting the arrival of cruise ships in the port of Palma.
The Spanish holiday hotspot is now determined to find ways to curb mass tourism.
Member of Palma XXI association Jaume Garau said: “There is a general feeling that we’ve gone too far and have to turn back.”
Speaking during a presentation for an upcoming congress on tourism to be held by the Civil Society Forum, Garau stressed the issues the Balearic islands are facing due to the high number of tourists.
He explained that the purpose of the congress is to prepare a proposal, alongside locals and civil associations, to establish a sustainable tourism model.
He warned: “There will come a time when people here won’t be able to go anywhere.”
The initial document proposes measures to lower the number of visitors such as the reduction of the rental car fleet, following the example of Formentera, or the implementation of a tourist tax.
An anti-tourism sentiment has been brewing up in the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.
Thousands took to the streets in Tenerife last month to demand restrictions on holidaymakers.
More than 15,000 people waved Canary Islands’ flags and blew horns to make a deafening noise in the capital Santa Cruz.
Residents said they are “fed-up” with “low quality” Brits who only come for the cheap beer, burgers and sunbathing.
Messages in English left on walls and benches in and around the resort read “My misery your paradise” and “Average salary in Canary Islands is 1,200 euros.”
But the Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo expressed his concern over the growing anti-tourism movement and begged holidaymakers to keep coming.
Meanwhile, protesters demanding the end of the “touristification of the city” are preparing to hit the streets of Malaga in less than a month.
They have planned a march on June 29 with the slogan: “For decent housing and against the processes of touristification and precariousness of life.”
Frustrated locals in Malaga claim they are being priced out of their own neighbourhoods – and more properties are being converted to hotels and tourist rentals offering short stays to visiting foreigners.
Others said the city has become “unlivable”.
Post-pandemic, a large number of remote workers have been moving to Spain for a cheaper cost of living, The Local reports.
And expats are often earning higher wages than locals – leaving them struggling to compete.
Adding voice to the growing discontent among the locals, Dani Pérez, a local politician wrote on X/Twitter: “You walk the streets of Málaga and it is practically impossible to find a residential building that does not have a lockbox [for tourist rentals].”
He accused the city’s mayor, Paco de la Torre, of “not lifting a finger for the people of Malaga” and “expelling them from the city where they were born”.
Anti-tourist measures sweeping hotspots
A WAVE of anti-tourist measures are being implemented across Europe to curb mass tourism in popular holiday hotspots.
Overcrowding has become the main problem in many sunny destinations, with authorities trying to find a solution to keep tourists and locals happy.
Officials have attempted to reduce holidaymakers by implementing additional taxes on tourists, and banning new hotels.
Earlier this year Venice became the first city in the world to charge an entry fee for holidaymakers after it started charging day-trippers €5 (£4.30) if visiting the historical Italian centre.
It was followed by an area in Barcelona which resorted to removing a well-used bus route from Apple and Google Maps to stop crowds of tourists from using the bus.
Meanwhile, San Sebastián in the north of Spain, limited the maximum number of people on guided visits to 25 to avoid congestion, noise, nuisance and overcrowding.
The city has already banned the construction of new hotels.
The Spanish government has allowed restaurants to charge customers more for sitting in the shade in Andalucia.
Benidorm has introduced time restrictions, as swimming in the sea between midnight and 7am could cost a whopping £1,000.
The Canary Islands are also considering adopting measures to regulate the number of visitors – and charge tourists a daily tax.
Greece has already enforced a tourist tax during the high season (from March to October) with visitors expected to pay from €1 (£0.86) to €4 (£3.45) per night, depending on the booked accommodation.
Officials in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia want to introduce a fee for travellers to remind people to be courteous during their trips.
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