In the face of seemingly ever-increasing anti-tourism protests in Spain and islands like Majorca, local hoteliers have launched a new campaign to make sure that tourists feel welcome this summer. The Mallorca Hotel Business Federation (FEHM) was formed to take a stand against what they have dubbed “tourismophobia”.
In recent months, slogans used by overtourism demonstrators have included: “Tourists go home”, “No to mass tourism” or “Mass tourism kills the city”, which have been putting Brits and other foreign tourists off from visiting. On top of this, recent vandalism on the headquarters of the Regional Ministry of Tourism in Palma has been putting the island in a bad light, not helping Majorca’s most vital industry.
“Mallorca has been, is and must continue to be a hospitable land. There are competing destinations such as Greece, Turkey and the south of France that welcome tourists with a red carpet. We must also be aware of their value,” said Javier Vich, president of FEHM.
The new campaign to counter the “tourismophobia” of what they call a “vocal minority”, the Federation aims to welcome tourists and make them feel at home during their stay. As part of the crusade, posters with far friendlier slogans will be shown on billboards for the entire summer, with phrases such as: “Tourist, go home happy. Be happier returning to Mallorca soon”, “Tourist, go home safe and come back soon” and “Tourist, don’t go home, stay longer with us”.
“This is in contrast to the rejectionist rhetoric and actions that attempt to damage the image of tourism and its contribution to Balearic society,” the Federation added.
The Federation is also encouraging other tourism companies and industry workers to use them.
Mr Vich added that “without tourists, there are no jobs, and we must all take care of tourism”.
According to FEHM, they are looking at ways to strike the right balance between tourism, infrastructure, sustainability, and successful coexist with residents. They stress that coexistence is essential, partly because the tourism industry provides employment for over one-third of the Balearic Islands’ working population.
“Every month during the high season, 235,000 salaries are paid in sectors linked to tourism: transport, catering, culture, leisure and hospitality. We cannot allow a radical minority to damage the work carried out over many years by so many people who have made tourism their way of life,” the president continued.
Not everyone agrees with this point of view, however. According to anti-tourism organisations like Menys Turisme Més Vida (Less Tourism More Life), the industry has impoverished the population by driving up real estate prices, especially in tourist hotspots like Palma, and exhausted the island’s natural resources.