Protestors hold a sign saying ‘tourism yes, but not like this’ (Image: Getty)
Seven protest groups warned holidaymakers thinking to head to “you are the source of our problem” in an open letter that urged visitors to “stay home”. The angry message signed by the groups concludes in a capital letter warning “ENOUGH! STAY HOME!”, after detailing how Majorca is being “squeezed to unsuspected limits”.
A record which was up 5% on the previous record in 2023, and Majorca received the lion’s share out of the four main islands. Addressed to tourists, the message said: “It’s time to take a step forward. Our leaders aren’t listening to us; it’s time to ask you NOT TO COME. We don’t need more tourists; in fact, you are the source of our problem. At this moment, we have no choice but to ask for your understanding and for you to understand that we, the people of Mallorca, are saying: ENOUGH! STAY HOME!”
A protestor holds up a sign saying ‘one more tourist, one less neighbour’ (Image: Getty)
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Despite the to manage tourism, the letter complained that certain measures will not come into effect until next year.
The pact will aim to reduce the islands’ reliance on traditional tourist markets like the UK and , instead focusing on improving infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and local quality of life.
The letter claimed that the “greed and avarice of hoteliers, politicians, real estate investors, and ‘parasites’ of all kinds” led to a deteriorating ecosystem, infrastructure problems, overcrowded public services, gentrification, and a decline in quality of life.
It added: “The local population is angry, and we are no longer hospitable because the land we love is being destroyed, and many residents are having to emigrate. Mallorca is not the paradise they are selling you.”
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The groups also took aim at the Balearic Government, which they claimed “denies the reality and continues to promote tourism” instead of “listening and taking measures to reverse this tragedy”.
The environmentalists GOB, the Menys Turisme Més Vida (Less Tourism More Life) movement and SOS Residents are among the seven groups that signed the letter.