The island of calm is drowning in overcrowding

The island of calm is drowning in overcrowding. | Nekane Domblás

Humphrey CarterPalma08/06/2023 13:32
TW
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“Mallorca is at breaking point”, my Mallorcan lawyer complained to me this week, while one of my neighbours yesterday made a very similar statement. Only this week it was reported that residents in parts of central Palma are moving out to the suburbs to get away from the noise and overcrowding while some are even leaving for the mainland where property prices and the cost of living are cheaper. One friend of mine, who is approaching retirement and has spent much of his life working overseas, longed to spend his retirement with his feet up at “home” in Mallorca - but he’s decided not to come back for good.

“It’s not my Mallorca anymore, it’s not the Mallorca I knew and every time I return it gets worse. So I’m staying put, I shall retire elsewhere, I will visit but that’s it,” he told me.

I have two extremely proud Mallorca colleagues also nearing retirement and both have bought properties on the mainland to retire to, a move I would have never expected from either of them.
I even know of hoteliers who are worried about the impression guests may get during the peak of the saturated summer and never return.

The new government, however it is going to be formed, cannot afford to ignore the growing feeling of unhappiness amongst the local community - Mallorcans whose roots date back centuries on the island in particular - because they are in danger of damaging the social fabric. Someone is going to have to take a bold decision with regard to which direction Mallorca is going to go and cross their fingers that they don’t make the wrong one.