Restaurant and bar owners in Majorca have blasted anti-tourism protesters, blaming numerous demonstrations over recent moneth for a huge downfall in trade on the popular Spanish holiday island.
CAEB, which represents business owners in Spain’s Balearic islands, said it hopes that September “will save the season” after seeing transactions plunge since May. Last month it was revealed beach bars, parasol hire companies, and water activity operators saw a 20% drop-off in July compared to 2024.
The Association of Temporary Services Concessions and Operations in the Maritime-Terrestrial Public Domain of Mallorca (Adopuma) blamed increasingly aggressive rhetoric towards visitors – including Brits – from anti-tourism campaigners.
Adopuma has warned the island’s economy is being pushed to breaking point as a result.
Meanwhile, Apoduma’s president Onofre Fornes hit out at “irresponsible negative messages against tourism” for the downturn.
Apoduma added that restaurants are underperforming, beach bar takings are falling, and occupancy rates at hotels stayed low even in August.
Juanmi Ferrer, the island’s restaurant association president, gave an equally stark warning that the anti-tourist protesters are “scaring visitors away”.
His view was shared by Miguel Pérez-Marsá, head of the nightlife association, who told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: “The tourists we’re interested in are being driven away; they don’t feel welcome and are going to other destinations.”
Protests against over-tourism erupted across the Balearics, the Canaries and mainland Spain over the last two summers.
Locals have complained that their culture is being put at risk by tourists, and that they are unable to access property because visitors are driving up prices.