Punta Ballena, Magalluf

The strip in Magalluf is renowned for bar crawls. | VASIL VASILEV

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma23/08/2019 04:01
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In 2015, Calvia town hall introduced a bylaw to control bar crawls in resorts such as Magalluf. These bar crawls, it was felt, contributed to a negative image of drunkenness and bad behaviour.

The town hall recognises that there is some flouting of regulations and that this lies with the organisation of bar crawls. Whereas previously they were publicised with handouts, they are now arranged via WhatsApp. Without physical evidence of organisation, the town hall admits that it can be difficult to take action in advance in preventing bar crawls.

Despite the control exercised through the police, the Acotur tourist businesses association says that organisers are getting round the bylaw. This, insists its president Pepe Tirado, is generating "all types of excess, vandalism and hooliganism". The resort, i.e. Magalluf, is being given a very poor image by the encouragement of "drunken tourism".

Nevertheless, there has been an increase in the number of proceedings initiated by the town hall this summer against organisers, who include those arranging booze cruises. There have been eight, whereas last year there were five.

Fines for breaking regulations on pub crawls range from 1,500 to 3,000 euros. It is being argued that these fines are not stiff enough as they are not deterring organisers.