Anti-tourism protesters have been warned by Majorca hoteliers that they have “lost all legitimacy” following scenes of violence in Palma on Sunday
Majorca hotels have warned tourism protestors (Image: By Eve Livesey via Getty Images)
UK holidaymakers have bid “farewell” to beloved Majorcan retreat as hotels warn about the ongoing anti-tourism demonstrations. Both the CAEB Confederation of Balearic Business Associations and the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation have cast doubts over the authenticity of the recent protest in Palma on Sunday.
María José Aguiló, the executive vice-president of the federation, remarked on Monday that the protest “lost all legitimacy”. He elaborated: “This demonstration had lower numbers than last year’s. In 2024, a great deal of the motivation for protests was to do with housing.
“Little by little, protests have become a centrifuge through which all issues such as housing, tourism, language, the situation in Palestine are passed. In this way, the protest is blurred.”
He further noted: “The federation’s message is very demanding in terms of housing, mobility, and infrastructure. There are issues being put on the table that could have better results and more effective solutions.”
Gabriel Llobera, the CAEB vice-president and CEO of Garden Hotels, expressed his disapproval of the conduct observed during Sunday’s protest, citing anti-social behaviour “that should not be allowed”, reports Birmingham Live.
He pointed out: “We have to look at the number of people there. There are almost 200,000 people working directly in the tourism sector, and we’re talking about 8,000 people at the demonstration. If we have a million people in the Balearic Islands, that’s 0.8%,” he stated.
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He remarked: “I don’t think it’s a matter of the number of people, because if we believe that overcrowding can occur at specific times or in specific places, then we could all participate in a demonstration.
“Overcrowding is not an issue that can be directly attributed to tourism. During the winter months, the roads are completely jammed at 8am. It’s an issue of the ineffectiveness of modernisation of our infrastructure by different governments.”
Brits have been weighing in on the discussion online. One social media user said on Twitter, “Remember the goose who ONCE laid the golden egg,” capturing the concern over the balance between tourism and local well-being.
Agreeing with the sentiment, another British holidaymaker commented: “Oh dear they have really got themselves in a mess. Think best to stay away until they work out what they all want.” Meanwhile, a third observer pointed out a stark consequence with their remark: “Goodbye tourists; hello unemployment.”