Locals in Majorca grew frustrated with tourists on Tuesday as swarms of visitors piled into a small town and formed large queues. Conditions became cloudy on the Spanish island yesterday, where a huge number of Brits go for cheap resorts and hot, sunny weather. Local media reports that tourists abandoned the beaches when clouds covered the island and made their way up to the Serra de Tramuntana mountains, which are located along the northwestern edge of the island, just north of Palma.
The small, picturesque town of Valldemossa was packed with tourists as a result, with many making up large queues for “cheap sandwiches and pastries” instead of going to the many empty restaurants. Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that the streets of the mountains were gridlocked with rental cars, infuriating locals. The publication reported that queues of cars stretched for a staggering three kilometres all the way down to Palma, with parking becoming “near impossible”.
One local said that the incident is “an August nightmare we’re forced to endure every year”. Messages spread around social media and WhatsApp, urging residents to avoid the area.
Valldemossa is a tiny town known for its mountainous views and picturesque old-timey architecture. It is estimated that it has a population of just 2,000 people.
“What should have been a quiet, cloudy Tuesday ended in frustration, fumes and horns blaring, as Valldemossa once again buckled under the weight of Mallorca’s summer crowds,” the Majorca Daily Bulletin wrote.
The tiny town is a far cry from the popular Majorca resort towns such as Palma, Magaluf and Santa Ponsa. Majorca is among the Spanish destinations that have seen an increase in anti-tourism sentiment, with protests taking place on the island throughout the summer.
Locals say that swelling numbers of tourists are putting a strain on their daily lives. However, Majorca’s appeal to Brits appears to be unshaken as the number of visitors from the UK to the Baleric island increased by 6 percent in May of this year.
However, tourism from other regions, including Germany and mainland Spain, has seen a drop in numbers. One hotelier previously said it will take a lot more to deter UK visitors from jetting off to the island.
He revealed: “The British have been coming on holiday here for decades. In fact, they are our most loyal holidaymaker. Nothing is going to break their love affair with Mallorca.”