The head of the Balearic Islands' most influential employers' organisation has called for a crackdown on overtourism in Majorca, urging: "We need to curb tourism".
Jordi Mora, the president of the Pimem federation of small to medium-sized business associations, said hoteliers on the island support measures to curb the number of visitors in favour of a more sustainable model.
Reducing Tourist Beds
He told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: "We need to curb tourism, which includes reducing the total number of tourist beds. We are already seeing some small-scale hoteliers who would support such a reduction. If this is approached through consensus and incentives, it is possible to move towards a more sustainable model."
"Reducing the number of beds also means reducing competition and increasing the value of those that remain."
Hoteliers say they are losing out on business as tourists opt for holiday rentals, such as Airbnbs, and illegal rentals.
Mr Mora added: "Illegal activity must be tackled decisively, whether this be in tourism, retail or any other sector. But we are concerned with reducing the total number of tourist beds, including those in registered holiday rental properties."
Accommodation Costs
He said accommodation costs should be lowered to make pricing more competitive, following what he called disproportionate price hikes over the last few years.
He explained: "There is no single solution to this, but we have identified that the cost of accommodation has a massive impact. Over the last three years, we have seen annual price increases of 12 to 14%, sometimes justified by investments, but other times not. We believe these price hikes have been disproportionate. Mallorca has some of the most expensive accommodation in the Mediterranean, and we must work to achieve more competitive pricing, allowing tourists to allocate a larger portion of their budget to local businesses - dining and other services."
Marga Prohens, President of the Balearic government, also made a desperate plea for strict "limits" on tourism across the islands, warning that the region needs to focus on "more value" and "less volume."
She said: "We cannot continue growing at this pace and with this model."
The Balearic chief urged officials and industry leaders to rethink how holiday seasons are measured, arguing that simply counting visitor heads is no longer a viable strategy for Majorca's future.
"We can't keep measuring the success of tourist seasons by the number of tourists coming each year; we need to talk about limits and manage them," Ms Prohens urged.
