Related news: Open letter

Dear Sir,

We represent various groups of residents in Mallorca who are deeply concerned about the overwhelming saturation our island is experiencing.

The recent statements made by local politicians and hoteliers , with great irresponsibility, deny this evident reality and promote the arrival of even more tourists from both international and national markets.

We are facing the worst summer in the history of Mallorca. All predictions indicate that in 2025, all historical records of visitors and overcrowding will be shattered once again, creating an emergency situation in a fragile environment that is already uninhabitable. Therefore, on behalf of the undersigned groups, we present a letter that we believe expresses the feelings of a large portion of the Mallorcan population, who are not being heard.

We ask that, if you deem it appropriate, you help spread this message so that the true situation of our island is known, appealing to the individual responsibility of visitors, since this responsibility is non-existent within our governors and the local tourist lobby, which is solely driven by economic interests.

Thank you very much for your attention and help.

Open letter to tourists Dear tourists, It is well known that Mallorca is an island recognised worldwide. Historically, we have been a welcoming land, strategically located in the Mediterranean Sea. Mallorca has a long tradition of tourism. We have made history when it comes to tourism. Until recently, this was a source of pride, but right now it has become our biggest problem. In the 1970s, Mallorca was called the "island of calm." Obviously, we are talking about a not so distant past, where the coexistence between tourists and residents maintained a balance. These were other times, when tourists spent their vacations on Mallorca, a sector of the population worked for them, but there were also other productive sectors (industry, agriculture...). The residents lived in peace and harmony because everyone occupied their "place" in a fragile and wonderful environment.

Things have changed, and Mallorca has become a top tourist destination. The island has been exploited to unimaginable limits , leading to the collapse we are now suffering. The money generated by the tourism industry has attracted people from all over the world who trade with our island. The greed and avarice of hoteliers, politicians, real estate investors, and all kinds of "parasites" have brought us to an emergency situation.

There is no need to list the problems that we residents suffer from, they are well known: environmental and ecosystem deterioration, infrastructure issues, overwhelmed public services, transportation problems, loss of quality of life, gentrification, disproportionate increases in the cost of living, and a total lack of access to housing for the local population.

This had never happened before in Mallorca , and civil society has taken to the streets. We have mobilized to demand that our politicians regulate this situation and prevent a major disaster.

However, surprisingly, instead of listening and taking action to reverse this crisis, they deny reality and continue to promote tourism in established markets , such as the Berlin Fair, while also creating new ones.

Their only goal is to increase the number of visitors and generate more money for a minority, on an island that is already completely oversaturated.

Some figures to understand the magnitude of the problem, based on published data: ● If Mallorca were an independent state, it would be the second in absolute growth over the last 40 years, with an 84% population increase, only surpassed by India with 91%.

● In the last 25 years, while the number of tourists has increased by more than 30%, the Balearic Islands have plummeted in the European per capita income ranking, falling from position 48 to 148. (More tourism no longer generates wealth but poverty).

● Every year, for every island resident, we receive 15 tourists (meaning human pressure on our land is multiplied by 15).

● This is the third consecutive year of record-breaking visitor numbers in Mallorca. In 2024, Palma de Mallorca Airport handled over 33 million passengers, a 7% increase from 2023. In 2025, tourist numbers are expected to increase by 6%. Cruise ship tourism in the Port of Palma is also expected to rise, reaching 1.8 million passengers.

It is insulting that our politicians use the concept of “sustainable” every time they talk about tourism in Mallorca because nothing could be further from the truth.

If we look up “sustainable” in the dictionary, when applied to ecology or economics, it refers to something that can be maintained over a long period without depleting resources or causing serious damage to the environment. “Sustainability” consists of meeting present needs without compromising the needs of future generations, a development model that is compatible with environmental preservation, avoiding the degradation of the surroundings caused by human activity.

Well, what is being done to our land is exactly the opposite. Politicians tell us they want to promote the deseasonalization of the tourism industry. This would mean reducing the number of tourists during peak season by spreading them throughout the year. However, what is actually happening is exactly the opposite: maintaining 100% occupancy during peak season while also filling Mallorca with tourists for the rest of the year.

Mallorca is not the paradise they are selling you. The local population is angry and no longer hospitable because the land we love it’s being destroyed and many of us have to leave the island because it is uninhabitable. Put yourselves in our place!

It is time to take a stand. Our leaders do not listen to us, so we, the residents, ask you: DO NOT COME. We do not need more tourists; in fact, you are the source of our problem. Locals say: ENOUGH. STAY HOME!

ORGANIZATIONS: - SOS RESIDENTS - MENYS TURISME MÉS VIDA - GOB - GADMA. GRUP AMICS DE LA TERRA DE MALLORCA - ALTERNATIVA PER POLLENÇA - BRUNZIT - AMICS DE LA VALL DE COANEGRA

What do you think? Send us your views to jmoore@majorcadailybulletin.es

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