The Mayor of Calvia, Alfonso Rodriguez. | Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter
Since coming to power eight years ago, the Mayor of Calvia, Alfonso Rodriguez, has presided over an important change in Magalluf.
Massive investment has changed the face of the resort, which is slowly shedding its infamous party-town image.
The final piece of the jigsaw was put in place in 2020 with the Balearic government’s law of excesses, which was introduced to crack down an alcohol abuse and anti-social behaviour.
“This was an initiative originally drawn up by Calvia Council and then given the backing of the Balearic government, who decided to create a wider legal framework that was then also introduced in Playa de Palma and Sant Antoni in Ibiza.
“All of the authorities involved, including the Council of Mallorca, agreed that action had to be taken to tone things down, to tackle alcohol abuse and anti-social behaviour for the benefit of the visitors, the local residents and the resort in general.
“Over the past few years, even before the pandemic struck, the public and private sector began investing millions of euros in upgrading the hotels, the services and the overall image of the resort. But at the same time, we felt the need to tackle some of the root problems which not only led to anti-social behaviour but, more importantly, tragic and fatal accidents in the resort.
“And we now believe that Magalluf has been transformed into a resort suitable for families, adults, couples and young people who want to come and have fun, enjoy their holiday but within reason, in harmony with and with respect for other holidaymakers around them and the local community.
“We’ve taken bold steps to crack down on what can only be described as the ‘aggressive’ sale of alcohol.
“What I mean by that is happy hours, the sale of cheap alcohol, the two or three-for-ones, the sale of alcohol by supermarkets during the hours of 9.30pm to 8am, the degradation of women with wild party games in the large pubs. We’ve banned pub crawls and the advertising of party boats, which are no longer allowed to sell alcohol on board.
“Yes, the cruises and boat trips can leave and enter Magalluf, but they are coastal trips so people can enjoy the scenery, the environment, a swim - to relax and make the most of their holiday experience,” the mayor said.
“Plus, all-inclusive hotels are restricted to serving just six alcoholic drinks per day, three with lunch and three with dinner. We’re not talking about prohibition, we’re talking about sensible limits and controls to ensure that everyone who comes to Magalluf has a first-class holiday in a first-class resort.
“The vast majority of the hotels have been upgraded and redeveloped and are now either four of five star.
“We’re renovating the promenade along the beach and we’ve created more pedestrianised and landscaped zones. These all help to create an environment which encourages good behaviour, and the resort has got the message.
“The majority of businesses, especially the bar and restaurant owners and those involved with nightlife entertainment, understand what we are doing, why and what the objective is.
“For example, many of the bars have been renovated and redesigned to create a more relaxed quality environment.
“Gone are the bars which were focused on quantity as opposed to quality. We now have a wide selection of excellent beach front establishments where people can enjoy the view, the great weather and have fun - have a drink but in moderation. The mass sale of vast amounts of alcohol at cheap prices in a very short period of time is over and last year we took serious action and handed down some very hefty fines to a number of bars which failed to comply with the new laws. In the more serious cases, establishments were closed while the sanctions against them were processed.
“Some 34 fines were handed out last year, eleven of which were extremely serious,” he added.
“At the same time, the new law also addresses ‘balconing’. So, for example, climbing from one balcony to another is a serious offence and the consequences if caught can be very harsh. And jumping from a balcony into a swimming pool has of course been illegal for many years.
“As a council, we began taking action in 2020, just as the pandemic hit, and then the Balearic government, in association with Calvia Council and the Council of Mallorca, drew up and introduced the law of excesses. But it came into force during the pandemic, which we only came out of at the start of last season.“So this year will be the first full season during which the law of excesses will be in force.
“But we did see a marked improvement last year in the general behaviour of visitors and also how the bars and the nightlife industry adhered to the new legislation.
“In short, we want people to behave on holiday in Magalluf as they would at home.
“We obviously want people to have fun and enjoy themselves, but what we don’t want - and it’s not just the council but also local residents, hoteliers and businesses - is people getting carried away and ruining things for themselves and for other people and the community around them. Apart from being potentially dangerous with fatal results, it is disrespectful and damages the image of Magalluf, in which a great deal of time and money have been invested over the past eight years in restoring the resort’s original image as a leading holiday destination for everyone. We’ve gone a long way towards achieving that, although there is still work to be done. But the law of excesses has played a very important part in setting the ground rules.
“Magalluf has more to offer than ever. It is a great sporting destination with a wealth of excellent facilities and events such as the marathon, the beach rugby, the beach volley ball competition, the cycling, hiking and water sports.
“We now host one of the best live music events in Spain, the Mallorca Live Festival with top quality national and internationals acts. In September and October, Meliá hosts the literature festival, which also attracts leading figures from across Spain and the rest of the world. Then there are the visitors who enjoy culture and for whom we are extending the season each year. There is also the wide range of activities and events for people to enjoy, be they tourists or residents, but in harmony,” the mayor said.
“We want tourists to enjoy themselves, discover Calvia and all that it offers but we want them to behave. Rowdy behaviour will not be tolerated. Alcohol shouldn’t be the main focus of a holiday. We have so much more to offer - from fantastic beaches to great countryside,” he stressed.
“We spent the pandemic looking at new products we could develop and ways of improving what Calvia already has to offer.
“We learned a lot of lessons, the most important being that we had to look after the local community, both socially and economically, and ensure that we were and are a safe destination.
“What Covid showed us is that we are all extremely vulnerable, especially in the tourism industry, and that we need to be prepared to deal with pandemics by having a strong and functioning health service, which we have, and the knowhow with regard to protecting and helping the tourism industry as a whole. I can say that we have emerged from the pandemic in a much stronger position, thanks to the extremely close cooperation between the private and the public sector.
“Over the past few years, the private sector has invested a great deal of money in upgrading hotels and improving the quality of services and products we offer in Calvia, in particular Magalluf.
“A prime example is that the best part of 75 percent of hotels in Magalluf and Palmanova are rated four or five star, and that is the path we intend to continue following.
“Magalluf has not got a problem with young people visiting the resort to have fun and enjoy all we have to offer, but we want people to behave in a civilised and respectful way.
“Like I said, we have seen a significant growth in the family and couples’ markets. We want all of these sectors of the industry to be able to enjoy Magalluf in harmony and safety, while ensuring the well-being of the local community, which is highly dependent on tourism.
“As a result of Covid, holiday habits have changed. People want more open spaces and to be more active, hence why we’ve improved the services and quality of our beaches and created more open spaces. We are about to embark on upgrading and remodelling the sea front in Magalluf.
“We welcome a mixed market but want it to be compatible with the local community and the environment.
“Moving forward, the emphasis is no longer going to be on quantity, it is going to be on quality.
“If we receive fewer tourists but revenue increases, then we are on the right track.
“People don’t want to be in busy packed places, they want more freedom to enjoy Calvia’s wonderful natural and sustainable environment. And we have been able to demonstrate that Calvia is a safe and first-class destination.
“The quality offered is first rate - from hotels to bars and restaurants, not to mention our beaches and the mountains.
“We want people to come to Magalluf, have a great experience, a wonderful holiday, return home safely with great memories and the desire to come back,” the mayor said.
