A public opinion survey by the Balearic Institute of Social Studies reveals division over whether there should be limits on the number of tourists. By a very small margin - 51% to 49% - there is support for limits.
This sentiment varies according to the islands. In Majorca there is an even split. In Ibiza 70% of public opinion is in favour of limits. In Minorca it is 41%.
On control of holiday rentals, there is 66% support for putting a stop to this type of accommodation. Ibiza again shows a higher level of rejection - 88% of opinion is in favour of restrictions. In Palma there is 67% support for the town hall's prohibition of apartment holiday rentals.
Where saturation is concerned, 57% believe that there should be limits on cars in specific areas, such as Formentor, and majority support for limiting the number of bars and sunbed units on beaches like Es Trenc.
There is not total support for limits on terraces: 51% of opinion is against the limits that Palma town hall has introduced.
On other issues, there is 48% support for the banning of bullfighting and 39% opinion against this, while there is strong opposition to the government's policies on language. These are embracing the health service and even the Balearic Symphony Orchestra. There is 82% opinion against demands for knowledge of Catalan being a requirement.
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its nearly the end of May and the weather is great but this is one of the quietest times I have ever known I Puerto Pollensa during the day and evening, with places closing early, job losses will follow and tourists will prob get the blame for that as well.
This will be our families first time to the island. We decided to go private as it is very difficult to find a hotel with 2 bedroom places. Done the sleep on the sofa or camp bed thing it's not fun anymore. Chlidren are gettin old enough for their own room not camping out for 2 weeks. There is also the we like seeing the place we are at not staying in the hotel 24/7 with the occasional arranged visit out. Over a holiday we probably spend over 2,000 euros into the local economy in various ways not the one price holiday all inclusive all going to the hotel.
Undoubtedly - and logically by working a year ahead - a sensible maximum of cruise ships using Palma at any one time would ease congestion. Other than that, a fair policy of hotels versus rental tourism needs to be met: currently, hotels are allowed to fill up as they wish while private rentals are being singled out for vicious treatment designed to make the process of legality as expensive and protracted as possible. This savages the high income earned by Mallorca from this segment of tourism that benefits local bars, restaurants and traders - for example the villa rentals in the Pollensa/Alcudia region. Politicians need to ditch their vested interests and instead consider their electorate whose income is directly or indirectly 70% dependent on tourism.
At 20.45 this evening in Portals village restaurants were empty. The staff still have to be paid plus all the bills. Directly opposite the Marina Portals hotel. It is already biting. Catalan dominance - why would you wish to put a restriction of the best medical minds. Curing a person should not be a gamble on language.
One way to reduce tourist numbers would be to reduce the ports of entry, i.e. reduce the number of tourist flights to Palma.
Perhaps local councils could apply for things like better street lighting and CCTV to make tourist areas safer, would be a good idea for tourist tax, I feel
To Ron: Great that someone writing comments here has humor! More humor would be good!
Leave it all alone.! The people will decide. Message for Sra. Busquets, to support her 'Better in Winter' slogan. How about: 'Not too good in spring', 'Bad in summer, 'Winding down in autumn'.
I was at Europe Day in Palma Nova - full of local residents but sparse everywhere in Magaluf and Palma Nova with tourist numbers.The fact is we are too many residents living on the island now - but if you do not have tourists the residents lifestyle and earning potential cannot be maintained.
It's a fairly pointless discussion. ...as I'm sure you know EU citizens have complete freedom of movement, so you can't stop people from coming should you decide you want to.