Majorca is starting to realise the negative impacts of recent anti-tourism protests as industry experts warn visitors are being put off. Associations representing restaurants, nightlife, and shops in tourist resorts have warned that visitor spending is falling amid an underwhelming season in the Spanish island. They blame the increasing anti-tourism sentiment for the decline, with CAEB Restaurants Association president Juanmi Ferrer saying these messages “are scaring visitors away”.
Pedro Oliver, the president of the College of Tour Guides, said his excursion sales have fullen 20% this summer, with the worst-affected areas being Valldemossa, Palma, and Port Soller. He warned that foreign tourists from countries like Britain, Germany, and Italy have got the impression that Majorca is “too crowded”, therefore choosing other destinations for their holidays.
He said: “The anti-tourism messages are resonating. If you generate negative news, which has repercussions in other countries, tourists opt for other destinations when choosing their holidays.
“We are sending the message that we don’t want tourists and that everything is too crowded.”
Miguel Perez-Marsa, president of the island’s ABONE nightclub and entertainment association, echoed this concern, saying visitors no longer “feel welcome”.
He said: “The tourists we’re interested in are being driven away; they don’t feel welcome and are going to other destinations.”
Germans in particular appear to be turning their back on Majorca, leaving hotels and restaurants empty.
Capdepera, a historic village in the east of the island, and Soller, one of the island’s most beautiful towns, are seeing the biggest drop in tourism numbers.
Capdepera relies heavily on German trade and is struggling to stay afloat with the notable decline. In what should be the high of the summer season, bars and restaurants have half-empty terraces with car parks which should be rammed having availability.
It seems that protestors may have got what they wished for with The Majorca Hotel Business Federation (FEHM) issuing a stark warning over the slump in tourism numbers.
The federation’s executive vice-president, María José Aguiló, said: “While we don’t have official statistics yet, information from our various associations indicates that Capdepera, which heavily relies on German tourism, and Soller are experiencing the most significant drops in visitor numbers.”