The organisers of the protest against mass tourism on Sunday have issued their list of demands as the Balearic government comes under pressure to take action. On their wish list is a complete ban on private jets, a limit on the sale of homes to non-residents and curbs on flights and cruise ships.
Anti mass tourism march in Palma
Hundreds of people are marching through the streets calling for an end to mass tourism in Mallorca.
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This is a nasty manipulation technique, introducing one or two small words that completely change the whole meaning. In your case: "or backward movement". They say " No investment of public money in infrastructure expansion", meaning NO EXPANSION. This doesn't mean "backward movement".
tranq tranquerI was referring to the general statement " No investment of public money in infrastructure expansion", which directly implies an unwitting desire for stagnation or backward movement, rather than forward, positive improvement which would actually benefit everyone. Particularly "no new roads, no desalination plants". Brilliant. That one speaks for itself. And "ban on private jets and a freeze on the number of recreational boats and a limit on vessels mooring off the coast" have to do with "overcrowding"? Or is this more about "anti-prosperity" than "anti-tourism"?
Ulla JacksonThat presumes that anyone buying a property is not planning to live there full time. But that's rather contrary to the local landscapes, where the properties are broadly owned and permanently occupied by other Europeans. And more being bought up by same everyday.
Morgan WilliamsThey can and will be become residents to buy a property. They can, but not necessarily will, just to buy a property. Spain has to leave EU to implement that rule. Spain could also change their law about protecting the owners when they let their properties, being able to get it back after a contract ends, until such change of law, many properties will stay empty.
Marvin Le MartianYes Marvin, politics is worming its unhelpful way into a serious problem. Personally I think the ten demands have the right basis with obvious exceptions. 1.Housing has to be locally affordable. Some sort of market regulation is necessary along the lines of the Channel Islands maybe. 2. Brilliant. Let's go back to a time when we had no infrastructure. A silly throw away line Morgan. They are not saying that at all. And where do you want to put your new airport or port or motorway. We have enough and we have no need or space for more, unless of course you want to continue expanding infinitum. The private jets thing is a good example of the anti capitalist brigade . As for Charlie Uncool, give me a few tens of super rich spending lavishly whilst hopefully loving and appreciating the islands and trying to use their influence sensibly to maintain the same things we want to maintain. Far better than thousands coming and spending very little per person. 3. The coasts are pretty well spoken for. What is developed is developed, what is not is I hope protected. Sensible control of jet skis etc is about it. What there should be are free boat access ramps at every port. We live on an island. Public access to the sea should not be restricted. 4.5.6. All no brainers, 4 applies to any society and doesn't need to be in this tourist related list. 7. Stick to the main fairs, if only to remind the world we are still open to tourism, without the mass in front of it. 8. Sorry Tattoo but tourist coach excursions are cattle class for the masses we are trying to get rid of. As tourists have become more knowledgeable and independent they want their own transport, hence the huge increase in rental cars. If we can reduce tourist numbers that will reduce demand to some extentand probably push up prices. As for locals /residents yes we like our cars and in the countryside they are necessary.This one is difficult. Hong Kong and Singapore can attest to that. 9.Yes increase the tax, its still a fraction of the holiday cost and those who want to come will pay it. The main thing is to use those funds as originally intended, to preserve and manage the very things people want to see . Oh how nice to say - thats it, problems solved. If only.
Yeah, Catherine Zeta and Michael, bugger off, and take Annie Lennox, Jürgen Klopp and Richard Branson with you. Plus all the other people who spend fortunes around Mallorca. Stuff 'em.
This smacks of the anti-capitalists pushing their agenda on the back of the over-tourism movement. As ever here, it’s contradictory, confusing and always complicated.
Mystery solved! I have always wondered where Wolfie Smith of Citizen Smith had disappeared to, and turns up head of the free Mallorca group.Correct me if I am wrong but Mallorca has a population of around one million residents, approximately 600k being Spanish, yet 20k at a demo seem to think they can speak for everyone. If a vote was held I am sure the outcome would be different. Wolfie always said power to the people, not power to the minority
What do private jets have to do with the price of eggs?
This rather goes against the now clearly false claim that the protesters are not anti tourism. The original thrust of the campaign was making tourism sustainable and managing numbers. This made sense too many but this list of demands is basically aiming to eliminate tourism altogether. It will be interesting to see if a counter movement starts up now trying to protect tourism before their economy is completely wrecked