The people expect tourism containment. But when?

A 35% market share. That is a high dependency. But when the spending figures are broken down, spending per person per day is lower than that for all the main markets except Spain and Italy. This is a high dependency that Mallorca and the Balearics wish to lessen. Just as the islands want to reduce the UK reliance - 17.2% market share in Mallorca (19.1% across the Balearics) but a Balearics-wide increase in 2024 spending of 23.6%. This much we know from the Bases for the Transition Agenda, the document presented last week that detailed deliberations and proposals from the sustainability pact’s working parties.

This document, which its compiler, Professor Antoni Riera, prefers to refer to as “a book”, was of vastly greater importance to Berlin than a spot more Mallorcan sobrassada fusion cuisine and an operatic duo which have similarly been consumed and have sung in London and Madrid. Would have been of greater importance if there had been genuine tangibles to grab hold of. The government’s vice-president, Antoni Costa, explained why not - some days were needed to come up with “more ambitious” proposals that reflect the book’s contents.

Negotiations will also be needed, he observed. You bet there will be, starting with the hoteliers. Costa and President Prohens may, with some justification, point to a limited amount of time, but a desire to up the tourist tax for this high summer has crashed into a hotelier roadblock. There is total opposition to an increase. Moreover, the increase believed to be on the table would have no impact on tourist demand. It would, for instance, raise the top rate of four euros per night per person to 5.20 euros. If an increase is meant to be a deterrent, the opposition parties are arguing the case for a doubling of the rate.

The desire for sustainability pact consensus is dependent upon powerful bodies like the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation, which has otherwise (and like the unions) praised the work of Riera and his working parties in having identified all the challenges surrounding the current tourism model and having done so from the point of view of social dialogue. The opposition, and in particular the former tourism minister, Iago Negueruela of PSOE, have been less enthusiastic. “Courageous measures”, such as doubling the tourist tax, are not evident, Costa and Prohens having consistently alluded to the courage that will be displayed.

The government (the Partido Popular) needs the left opposition, as its sort-of allies, Vox, are going to be useless. They basically disagree with all anti-overcrowding measures, a stance that does them absolutely no credit. Costa has recognised there is little point in issuing a decree law, only for it to eventually fall in parliament. The negotiations are therefore going to be crucial. Prohens has insisted: “We are conscious of the need for containment measures. The citizenship expects them.” It does indeed, but it’s a question of when these might be set out and, more importantly, implemented. Of equal importance is their impact. A tweaking of the tourist tax would seem to be neither here nor there, unless Costa’s ambitions take him and the government further.

The tourist tax I only use as an example of measures and of what has been said since the presentation of the Riera book. But it is useful as it is instructive of the thinking, for which there is general consensus, or appears to be. Note what the hoteliers said. A proposed increase won’t impact demand, a principle of the transition agenda being an abandonment of tourism strategies based on high volumes and low prices (take note in respect of that German 35% and spending). Everyone seems to acknowledge the need to address demand, in volume terms at any rate. Nevertheless, do the hoteliers not contradict themselves by opposing the proposed increase?

The citizenship, the public need to see that things are being done. Prohens is right. There is an expectation, but we are now in March. The government, the Council of Mallorca, the other island councils, town halls decamped to Berlin with their different promotions. Europe’s largest tour operator, Germany’s TUI, have announced that they anticipate a record number of tourists in the Balearics this year. Containment, for now, can wait.