Man United and Spurs fans face more travel chaos as major Bilbao station is CLOSED on day of the Europa League final
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur fans attending the Europa League final in Bilbao are facing further travel chaos as one of the city's main stations will be closed on the day of the match.
Supporters of both sides have already had to fork out for expensive flights and hotels to get to the Spanish city for the clash at San Mames on May 21.
Authorities are expecting more than 80,000 fans in Bilbao for the final - thousands of whom will be without tickets.
Each club has been allocated nearly 15,000 seats but many more are set to travel to soak up the atmosphere and be part of a momentous occasion for both teams.
Those in the city will have to find alternative routes to the stadium as San Mames metro station, which serves the stadium, will be closed from 3pm on matchday.
It comes amid fears of a 'crush' and overcrowding at the station, according to Bilbao daily newspaper El Correo.
The publication reported that it would be the first time the station will be fully shut on the day of a major event, with fans not allowed to enter or exit.
More frequent trains will run on the metro until 3am, while the stadium is within walking distance from the city centre.
But the closure adds to the issues supporters will encounter when they are in the city.
Local authorities will aim to keep United and Spurs fans apart on the day of the match. Their respective fan zones are on opposite sides of the relatively small city to prevent mixing before the game.
Residents are braced for an invasion the likes of which they have 'never faced' before, according to reports in Spain, with El Correo suggesting that Man United and Spurs fans are set to 'colonise' the Basque city.
Fans are set to spend thousands on flights and accommodation, with airlines and hoteliers hiking up the price to capitalise on demand.
Direct return flights to Bilbao are available but are costing up to £1,700, according to Skyscanner.
Fans may have spotted a more cost-effective method of travel and booked an £108 one-way coach - but the 26-hour journey time and fixed London departure may not appeal to the majority of travelling fans.
Other supporters may be making the journey by car, but could still face just under £200-worth of costs, with journeying through the pricey Channel Tunnel the only fastest route available.
When in Bilbao, the city is likely to be overflowing, with El Correo citing the hotel industry's ability to sleep just 15,000 people in their 5,000 hotel rooms.
Prices for rooms of any kind have soared ahead of next Wednesday's showpiece, with almost every hotel in the city reportedly sold out, and those available priced some way above their regular value.
The winner of the final will also qualify for next season's Champions League.
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![In an area of shrubland near to the main public hospital, a shanty town of wooden huts draped with tarpaulins heats up in the Ibiza sun. The backdrop of the island's beautiful Old Town is just a mile or so in the distance, but feels like a world away. Here at this makeshift camp in Sa Joveria, not far from the popular beach and party resort of Playa d'en Bossa, dozens of people are living with no electricity, no running water, no waste services, sharing spaces covering just a few square feet. It is the side to Ibiza most do not see. Behind the island's glitz and glamour lies a growing inequality crisis; reports of essential workers such as police officers among those staying in camps, living with friends or family, or even commuting from Majorca due to spiralling living costs fuelled in part by record-high tourism. This weekend, protests against over-tourism are planned across Ibiza, Majorca and areas of mainland Spain, following similar demonstrations last year. "We say enough to the destruction of the territory, to the precariousness, to the housing crisis, to the loss of rights," says the Menys Turisme Mes Vida (Less Tourism More Life) campaign group. Protests in Ibiza in September 2024 Protests in Ibiza in September 2024"I know one person working two different jobs but living in a tent. Someone else paying 850 euros for a single room, now possibly having to share it because the landlord wants to put a bunk bed in... People sleeping on balconies, paying 500 euros a month. There are key workers desperate for accommodation, doctors pleading - I work in a hospital saving lives and I have nowhere to live." Ibiza resident In the camps in Ibiza, many people are nervous about speaking out. But Mohammed, from the territory of Western Sahara, invites us in. He tells us he works in construction and has been on the island for two-and-a-half years. He never expected to be living like this in Ibiza, he says. "It is hard. But it is better than living on the street." The 32-year-old is just one of an increasing number of local and foreign workers the island relies on, unable to afford space in a bedroom, let alone an apartment or a house. A friend pours out small glasses of traditional tea for us to sip as they huddle around a small table. The disparity between the wealth surrounding the area and the conditions they are living in is obvious, Mohammed acknowledges. "But what are you going to do?" Image captions HIPPIES TO THE SUPER RICH Millions of tourists head to the Balearic Islands each year. Like its neighbours Majorca and Menorca, Ibiza has the sun, sea and sand, but most who visit will tell you there is something more that draws them here. From the creatives escaping Franco's Spain in the 1930s to the hippies who set up in the 1960s, the White Isle has long been a haven for the unconventional, and many still come for the anything goes ethos. People are also here to party. Pacha, the island's first nightclub, opened in 1973 - and Wham!'s Club Tropicana video in 1983, filmed at the famous Pikes Hotel, cemented its party reputation. In recent years, Ibiza has increasingly become a luxury playground for the rich, with superyachts worth millions among the boats in the waters of Ibiza Town's port, and Instagrammable superclubs boasting VIP tables costing thousands of euros to secure. Tourism accounts for about 84% of the economy and is vital for the island, with tourist spending reaching 4.3bn euros in 2024, according to the Balearic Institute of Statistics (IBESTAT) - an increase of 62% since 2016. The number of tourists reached a record high of more than 3.7m for Ibiza and neighbouring Formentera in 2023 – an increase of almost 25% since 2016. Flights have also increased dramatically since the turn of the millennium, from just over 25,000 in 2000 to a record 66,000 scheduled this year, according to flights database OAG. Almost a fifth (18%) of these are from the UK - the biggest share after internal flights from the rest of Spain. Many residents and workers say the numbers have become unsustainable - that the island is at "breaking point". Environmental campaigners highlight beach closures due to sewage in recent years, while housing is a major issue across Spain generally as it struggles to balance a key driver of its economy with concerns over high rents due to gentrification, landlords shifting to more lucrative, short-term rentals or even leaving properties empty, and illegal sub-letting. Ibiza seems to be one of the places feeling this acutely. On property site Idealista, rooms in shared apartments have been advertised for 1,500 euros a month - we even found one advertised for the month of August for 4,000 euros. In the peak summer months in 2024, the cost of renting in the Balearic Islands was up by more than 20% year on 2023, according to the site, and the trend looks set to continue this summer. A recent Bank of Spain report said the country has a shortfall of 450,000 homes - and in the tourist hotspots such as the Balearics and Canary Islands, half the housing stock is tourist accommodation or properties owned by non-residents, it found. Authorities are putting measures in place to try and curb the problem. Heavy fines have reportedly been introduced for those not complying with laws, and in February, Consell d'Eivissa (Ibiza's island council) announced a deal with AirBnB to crack down on unregulated holiday lettings on its platform. Sky News understands more than 450 listings have been removed already as a result. A plan to limit cruise ship arrivals was announced last year, and new rules restricting the numbers of tourist cars and caravans during peak months also came into force at the beginning of June. But is it enough? Image captions 'MORE LUXURY, MORE EXPENSIVE' Jane Cull, an English teacher in a language school who has lived on the island for several years, has been staying with a friend while she finishes the term, after being told to leave her apartment at short notice."I've been running around almost begging and feeling really humiliated, asking everybody I've ever known on the island if they can help me," she says. "Over the last few years, it's become increasingly difficult, because what you'd pay before for a whole apartment is what a lot of people are [now] paying for a room. And if you do find a room that's reasonably priced in the winter time, then you're kind of pushed out in the summer season, which has happened to me and many other teachers I know." Teacher Jane Cull Teacher Jane Cull She now faces a search for somewhere more permanent for the new term in September, which she says will be difficult as it is still a busy month for tourism. The island has changed, she says, but there is still much about it she loves."I love the hippie kind of vibe and the history... but as time has gone on it's got very commercial," she says. "More fast-moving, more expensive, more luxury. It's changed a lot. I think that's part of life, around the world, but it's difficult to accept, especially if you planned your life until retirement here.""I am nearly 30 and live with my grandmother, husband and two children. We are used to tourists here and like tourists, but in the last few years things have become much more expensive. My friend still lives with her parents. We cannot be independent because we cannot afford to rent." Ibiza resident Dean Gallagher, who works several jobs - in teaching, property management, DJing and, most famously , snake catching - has been living here for 22 years."There's lots of colourful people here and it's very liberal and laid-back, very progressive. You can walk down the street and bump into literally anyone - celebrities, hippies, DJs, and [in the north] it's very calm and quiet and peaceful. It's not all about intense hedonism." But he says the housing problem needs to be addressed. He rents a "humble" property but says he would find it impossible to buy even a studio flat, despite working several jobs."Over the last six or seven years, I've seen rents literally double... I know people, key workers, affected by this, people we really need for security, for healthcare, and they're living in terrible conditions, some of them... Ibiza's a popular island, I understand that, but key workers need a place to live.""People are really struggling. I think there needs to be a balance. Wealthy people can come here and buy, but they also need to give something." Even the invasive snakes he is known for catching on the island are a symptom of the problem, he says. "When people move here... they've brought palm trees and moreover olive trees from the mainland, which unfortunately had a few stowaways. Those stowaways were snake eggs. They hatched here, multiplied, and now the island is plagued with them." Property manager and snake catcher Dean Gallagher Property manager and snake catcher Dean Gallagher Many property owners choose to rent to tourists or even keep homes empty over letting long-term, he says, to avoid the risk of tenants potentially not paying rent, and the complications that come with that. AirBnB, which is working with authorities on lettings breaking rules, also says empty homes are the biggest problem. Short-term lets have decreased by almost 29% in the last four years, a spokesperson said - " whereas there are now four times more empty homes than tourist homes in Ibiza". Ibiza, like most other small islands, has a "very delicate ecosystem", Dean adds. "And over-building and over-decadence can cause problems in very delicate ecosystems. If [Ibiza] gets too up to date with the rest of the world, [it becomes] a lot like a rich neighbourhood in a big city, then it's kind of losing its specialness. I think everyone is entitled to progress and make money, but we do need to conserve what's really special about this place." Image captions ' WEALTH, FAME - IT ATTRACTS CRIME' For police officer Rafael Gimenez, who was born and raised in Ibiza, the spiralling cost of living became too much. After three years of policing here, he moved to Aragon, in mainland Spain, at the end of 2023, with his wife and two sons."The quality of life has dropped dramatically for residents especially," he says. "I have two children and I believe that for the moment, how Ibiza is, I cannot give them a good quality of life here." Police officer Rafael Gimenez Police officer Rafael Gimenez The island is not big enough to sustain the level of tourism it sees now, he says."I think the core issue is [tourism] massification because along with massification comes everything – the rising prices, the collapse of infrastructures, environmental issues, like a lack of water supply for people, the destruction of the natural environment." He says he also felt there were issues with tackling crime. In recent years, there have been reports of criminals targeting the wealthy and luxury accommodation - such as in 2024, when three people suspected of being part of a criminal gang targeting villas, including one rented by British broadcaster Nick Grimshaw, were arrested by Spanish authorities."Ibiza is attracting a lot people who are very wealthy, a lot of famous people, and of course that attracts the attention of criminal organisations. I was experiencing a lot of alerts regarding breaking into houses, violent robberies of watches, and of course this means that Ibiza as well is becoming like a criminal organisation's place of operations." Protests in April 2025 Protests in April 2025 Gimenez and his mother, Xaquelina Ana Perry, are members of Prou Eivissa (Enough Ibiza), a campaign group calling for an end to overtourism. She says the accommodation crisis is now "really out of control", and like others we spoke to, says she is aware of hotel workers, sanitary workers and even police officers living in camps in recent years."The island relies on these workers, doesn't it?" she says. "We need people to serve the restaurants, clean the hotels, we need teachers. But if there's no accommodation, [some have] got no choice but to live like this, to earn a living." Prou Eivissa, she stresses, is not about against the tourism that for many years ran in sync with the island. "What we are is against the [current] model of tourism and the massification of tourism, because this island is beautiful." Image captions WHAT IS BEING DONE? Fines In April, the island's council said it continued its "unprecedented fight" against illegal tourist lettings. More staff are being hired to pursue and process sanctions against illegal rentals, it said - with potential fines going up to 500,000 euros. AirBnB deal AirBnB has said implementing mandatory registration for all new short-term rental listings is a testament to its commitment to Ibiza, "promoting responsible accommodation and ensuring locals share in the tourist economy". Booking.com The site says it works with authorities in Ibiza to combat illegal listings "and foster a transparent tourism ecosystem". A spokesperson said this would continue to "make tourism a positive force for the island". Cruise ships According to IbizaPreservation, 188 cruise ships arrived at Ibiza port in 2023. In September 2024, the island's council said it would limit numbers to allow no more than two to dock at any one time. Vehicle limit A cap of 20,168 on non-resident vehicles is now in force until September, to "correct an unsustainable situation" of exponential growth over the last 25 years, the island council has said. 'I SERVE THE RICH' At a camp in Es Gorg, also near to Playa d'en Bossa and the OId Town, the scene is different to Sa Joveria. Here, dozens of people are living in vans, caravans and campervans, rather than huts. One man, Charlie, 48, from Seville, is a children's entertainer by day and cleans the streets overnight, working until about 4am. With his little dog entertaining with tricks, he tells us he does not want to pay "really expensive rent" - having seen balconies rented for people to sleep on for 700 euros - and is happy here in his caravan, living a more nomadic lifestyle."Ibiza has a kind of special energy," he says. "What makes me happy is I don't have to pay 700 euros. I can go and spend my money wherever I want, and this is what makes me feel happy. I don't have any trouble." Victor (pictured below), a 28-year-old father who lives in a van nearby with his wife and young daughter, says his situation is more complicated. He is Colombian, but has lived here for a year. "I work here in the Old Town, serving the rich," he says. "My question is: if we are not here, who will serve these people?" He is keen to tell us there are no "bad people" at the camp - something workers at Sa Joveria were also keen to stress - and that he pays taxes. He has solar panels that provide a little power "to charge your phone", he says, and has to collect and carry water "every day"."We would have wanted to be in an apartment for the sake of my daughter," he says. "But this is the only option." He says he is in touch with authorities to see if there is anything that can be done to help his living situation, but he is not optimistic. "I need an alternative," he says. "But I'm not going to leave the island when my daughter was born here." Image captions SEWAGE On the other side of the island, at a beach opposite the famous party resort of San Antonio, a different problem is highlighted by IbizaPreservation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to the conservation of Ibiza and its neighbouring smaller island of Formentera - which has also become a celebrity hotspot (landing Katy Perry in trouble) in recent years. IbizaPreservation's Sustainability Observatory co-ordinator Elisa Langley, who was born and raised in San Agustin, not far away, highlights recent closures of beaches due to sewage."In one year, we have had 21 episodes of pollution [across the island]," she says. "Waste waters directly to the sea or to the area of the beach." In 2010, 41 water sampling points at beaches around the island were classified as excellent, according to the foundation. However, in 2023, the number of points rated excellent quality had reduced by half to 21 - with 15 rated good and five rated sufficient. The island's sewage system is old and simply cannot cope during the peak months, IbizaPreservation says. There is currently not enough data to say for certain that increasing tourism is causing the problem of spills, Langley says, but it can't be helping. There are several key solutions that could make "a real difference", she adds, including setting capacity limits - restricting the number of flights, hotel beds and holiday rentals. "Ibiza also needs to protect its natural spaces by limiting access to fragile areas and investing in sustainable transport." Salvem Sa Badia de Portmany, an association dedicated to protecting the Bay of Portmany - the coastal section on the west of the island that includes San Antonio - says the island's sewage system becomes "overwhelmed when there is heavy rainfall and large amounts of greywater from showers and sinks being discharged"."The situation has consistently worsened," a spokesperson says. "As the infrastructure continues to age and the island grows more crowded each summer, the pressure on the system increases. Beaches are suffering - increasing signs of sewage contamination, foul odours, and decaying marine ecosystems are becoming common in the Bay of San Antonio."Seagrass meadows – vital for clean water and biodiversity – are being destroyed, mainly because of lack of controls on the nautic activities and because of the deficient sewage infrastructure. This is all at odds with Ibiza's public image as a pristine, luxury nature destination."Residents are constantly urged to save water, while tourists enjoy unlimited pools, showers, and daily towel services – a model of consumption that is completely unsustainable." While there have been "steps in the right direction" in terms of the tighter controls on short-term rentals, Langley says stricter regulation is also "essential" to help ease the housing crisis for residents and workers. "The main thing is that there is sufficient inspection activity and that cases are brought to a conclusion with exemplary fines for those who do not comply with the law." Langley says the island is near breaking point. "Without urgent action, Ibiza's fragile ecosystems and quality of life are at serious risk." Image captions WHAT NEXT? One person who has been vocal about the pressures is The Secret DJ – an anonymous British DJ and author who started working in Ibiza's clubs in the early 1990s, and moved permanently after Brexit. The problems are global problems, he says, but are magnified on a small island. "Ibiza is a microcosm... it's very wealthy, quite powerful in its own way. There's a lot of money here. It experiences the same problems as somewhere like London or New York, but it experiences them more intensely." There are many positives, he says, and cautions on "aggressive nostalgia" for past eras. "People talk of a golden era – 'oh, Ibiza's over'. They've been saying that for the entire time I've been here... when people idolise a place, they expect it to be frozen in amber. Each generation finds the Ibiza they're looking for." Privilege 2005 Privilege 2005 However, he says the problems created by increasing tourism can't be denied. "We have a very limited resource of water. It's desalinated, reclaimed water. An island that's barely 20 miles across does not have the resources for millions and millions of people." Roads have become increasingly clogged with traffic in recent years, he says, and there are pressures on the health service. "It's a tiny place that's hugely over-subscribed." But the DJ is keen to stress he loves the island, and his criticism is not the same as complaining. "I don't believe it's wrong to speak of difficulties, especially when they're now at almost like a fulcrum point, a turning point, where it's unsustainable. We're at the point where there's simply too many people." Of course, tourism is vital for Ibiza, creating thousands and thousands of jobs each year. Authorities are implementing measures to ease the pressures, but it's clear there is a problem, a housing crisis that appears to be getting worse, and a strain on the island's infrastructure. The island has always embraced its visitors, but with protests ramping up in Ibiza and the Balearic Islands, as well as in parts of mainland Spain - many are saying enough is enough. Image captions CREDITS Written and produced by: Gemma Peplow, culture reporter Saskia Lumley, video journalist Design Simona Pedrali Noy Amira Mutiara Pictures: Europa Press via AP iStock Paul Underhill/Pymca/Shutterstock Top Built with Shorthand 'I serve the rich but live in a van': Is Ibiza at breaking point? This content is provided by 'I serve the rich but live in a van': Is Ibiza at breaking point?, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. 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![In an area of shrubland near to the main public hospital, a shanty town of wooden huts draped with tarpaulins heats up in the Ibiza sun. The backdrop of the island's beautiful Old Town is just a mile or so in the distance, but feels like a world away. Here at this makeshift camp in Sa Joveria, not far from the popular beach and party resort of Playa d'en Bossa, dozens of people are living with no electricity, no running water, no waste services, sharing spaces covering just a few square feet. It is the side to Ibiza most do not see. Behind the island's glitz and glamour lies a growing inequality crisis; reports of essential workers such as police officers among those staying in camps, living with friends or family, or even commuting from Majorca due to spiralling living costs fuelled in part by record-high tourism. This weekend, protests against over-tourism are planned across Ibiza, Majorca and areas of mainland Spain, following similar demonstrations last year. "We say enough to the destruction of the territory, to the precariousness, to the housing crisis, to the loss of rights," says the Menys Turisme Mes Vida (Less Tourism More Life) campaign group. Protests in Ibiza in September 2024 Protests in Ibiza in September 2024"I know one person working two different jobs but living in a tent. Someone else paying 850 euros for a single room, now possibly having to share it because the landlord wants to put a bunk bed in... People sleeping on balconies, paying 500 euros a month. There are key workers desperate for accommodation, doctors pleading - I work in a hospital saving lives and I have nowhere to live." Ibiza resident In the camps in Ibiza, many people are nervous about speaking out. But Mohammed, from the territory of Western Sahara, invites us in. He tells us he works in construction and has been on the island for two-and-a-half years. He never expected to be living like this in Ibiza, he says. "It is hard. But it is better than living on the street." The 32-year-old is just one of an increasing number of local and foreign workers the island relies on, unable to afford space in a bedroom, let alone an apartment or a house. A friend pours out small glasses of traditional tea for us to sip as they huddle around a small table. The disparity between the wealth surrounding the area and the conditions they are living in is obvious, Mohammed acknowledges. "But what are you going to do?" Image captions HIPPIES TO THE SUPER RICH Millions of tourists head to the Balearic Islands each year. Like its neighbours Majorca and Menorca, Ibiza has the sun, sea and sand, but most who visit will tell you there is something more that draws them here. From the creatives escaping Franco's Spain in the 1930s to the hippies who set up in the 1960s, the White Isle has long been a haven for the unconventional, and many still come for the anything goes ethos. People are also here to party. Pacha, the island's first nightclub, opened in 1973 - and Wham!'s Club Tropicana video in 1983, filmed at the famous Pikes Hotel, cemented its party reputation. In recent years, Ibiza has increasingly become a luxury playground for the rich, with superyachts worth millions among the boats in the waters of Ibiza Town's port, and Instagrammable superclubs boasting VIP tables costing thousands of euros to secure. Tourism accounts for about 84% of the economy and is vital for the island, with tourist spending reaching 4.3bn euros in 2024, according to the Balearic Institute of Statistics (IBESTAT) - an increase of 62% since 2016. The number of tourists reached a record high of more than 3.7m for Ibiza and neighbouring Formentera in 2023 – an increase of almost 25% since 2016. Flights have also increased dramatically since the turn of the millennium, from just over 25,000 in 2000 to a record 66,000 scheduled this year, according to flights database OAG. Almost a fifth (18%) of these are from the UK - the biggest share after internal flights from the rest of Spain. Many residents and workers say the numbers have become unsustainable - that the island is at "breaking point". Environmental campaigners highlight beach closures due to sewage in recent years, while housing is a major issue across Spain generally as it struggles to balance a key driver of its economy with concerns over high rents due to gentrification, landlords shifting to more lucrative, short-term rentals or even leaving properties empty, and illegal sub-letting. Ibiza seems to be one of the places feeling this acutely. On property site Idealista, rooms in shared apartments have been advertised for 1,500 euros a month - we even found one advertised for the month of August for 4,000 euros. In the peak summer months in 2024, the cost of renting in the Balearic Islands was up by more than 20% year on 2023, according to the site, and the trend looks set to continue this summer. A recent Bank of Spain report said the country has a shortfall of 450,000 homes - and in the tourist hotspots such as the Balearics and Canary Islands, half the housing stock is tourist accommodation or properties owned by non-residents, it found. Authorities are putting measures in place to try and curb the problem. Heavy fines have reportedly been introduced for those not complying with laws, and in February, Consell d'Eivissa (Ibiza's island council) announced a deal with AirBnB to crack down on unregulated holiday lettings on its platform. Sky News understands more than 450 listings have been removed already as a result. A plan to limit cruise ship arrivals was announced last year, and new rules restricting the numbers of tourist cars and caravans during peak months also came into force at the beginning of June. But is it enough? Image captions 'MORE LUXURY, MORE EXPENSIVE' Jane Cull, an English teacher in a language school who has lived on the island for several years, has been staying with a friend while she finishes the term, after being told to leave her apartment at short notice."I've been running around almost begging and feeling really humiliated, asking everybody I've ever known on the island if they can help me," she says. "Over the last few years, it's become increasingly difficult, because what you'd pay before for a whole apartment is what a lot of people are [now] paying for a room. And if you do find a room that's reasonably priced in the winter time, then you're kind of pushed out in the summer season, which has happened to me and many other teachers I know." Teacher Jane Cull Teacher Jane Cull She now faces a search for somewhere more permanent for the new term in September, which she says will be difficult as it is still a busy month for tourism. The island has changed, she says, but there is still much about it she loves."I love the hippie kind of vibe and the history... but as time has gone on it's got very commercial," she says. "More fast-moving, more expensive, more luxury. It's changed a lot. I think that's part of life, around the world, but it's difficult to accept, especially if you planned your life until retirement here.""I am nearly 30 and live with my grandmother, husband and two children. We are used to tourists here and like tourists, but in the last few years things have become much more expensive. My friend still lives with her parents. We cannot be independent because we cannot afford to rent." Ibiza resident Dean Gallagher, who works several jobs - in teaching, property management, DJing and, most famously , snake catching - has been living here for 22 years."There's lots of colourful people here and it's very liberal and laid-back, very progressive. You can walk down the street and bump into literally anyone - celebrities, hippies, DJs, and [in the north] it's very calm and quiet and peaceful. It's not all about intense hedonism." But he says the housing problem needs to be addressed. He rents a "humble" property but says he would find it impossible to buy even a studio flat, despite working several jobs."Over the last six or seven years, I've seen rents literally double... I know people, key workers, affected by this, people we really need for security, for healthcare, and they're living in terrible conditions, some of them... Ibiza's a popular island, I understand that, but key workers need a place to live.""People are really struggling. I think there needs to be a balance. Wealthy people can come here and buy, but they also need to give something." Even the invasive snakes he is known for catching on the island are a symptom of the problem, he says. "When people move here... they've brought palm trees and moreover olive trees from the mainland, which unfortunately had a few stowaways. Those stowaways were snake eggs. They hatched here, multiplied, and now the island is plagued with them." Property manager and snake catcher Dean Gallagher Property manager and snake catcher Dean Gallagher Many property owners choose to rent to tourists or even keep homes empty over letting long-term, he says, to avoid the risk of tenants potentially not paying rent, and the complications that come with that. AirBnB, which is working with authorities on lettings breaking rules, also says empty homes are the biggest problem. Short-term lets have decreased by almost 29% in the last four years, a spokesperson said - " whereas there are now four times more empty homes than tourist homes in Ibiza". Ibiza, like most other small islands, has a "very delicate ecosystem", Dean adds. "And over-building and over-decadence can cause problems in very delicate ecosystems. If [Ibiza] gets too up to date with the rest of the world, [it becomes] a lot like a rich neighbourhood in a big city, then it's kind of losing its specialness. I think everyone is entitled to progress and make money, but we do need to conserve what's really special about this place." Image captions ' WEALTH, FAME - IT ATTRACTS CRIME' For police officer Rafael Gimenez, who was born and raised in Ibiza, the spiralling cost of living became too much. After three years of policing here, he moved to Aragon, in mainland Spain, at the end of 2023, with his wife and two sons."The quality of life has dropped dramatically for residents especially," he says. "I have two children and I believe that for the moment, how Ibiza is, I cannot give them a good quality of life here." Police officer Rafael Gimenez Police officer Rafael Gimenez The island is not big enough to sustain the level of tourism it sees now, he says."I think the core issue is [tourism] massification because along with massification comes everything – the rising prices, the collapse of infrastructures, environmental issues, like a lack of water supply for people, the destruction of the natural environment." He says he also felt there were issues with tackling crime. In recent years, there have been reports of criminals targeting the wealthy and luxury accommodation - such as in 2024, when three people suspected of being part of a criminal gang targeting villas, including one rented by British broadcaster Nick Grimshaw, were arrested by Spanish authorities."Ibiza is attracting a lot people who are very wealthy, a lot of famous people, and of course that attracts the attention of criminal organisations. I was experiencing a lot of alerts regarding breaking into houses, violent robberies of watches, and of course this means that Ibiza as well is becoming like a criminal organisation's place of operations." Protests in April 2025 Protests in April 2025 Gimenez and his mother, Xaquelina Ana Perry, are members of Prou Eivissa (Enough Ibiza), a campaign group calling for an end to overtourism. She says the accommodation crisis is now "really out of control", and like others we spoke to, says she is aware of hotel workers, sanitary workers and even police officers living in camps in recent years."The island relies on these workers, doesn't it?" she says. "We need people to serve the restaurants, clean the hotels, we need teachers. But if there's no accommodation, [some have] got no choice but to live like this, to earn a living." Prou Eivissa, she stresses, is not about against the tourism that for many years ran in sync with the island. "What we are is against the [current] model of tourism and the massification of tourism, because this island is beautiful." Image captions WHAT IS BEING DONE? Fines In April, the island's council said it continued its "unprecedented fight" against illegal tourist lettings. More staff are being hired to pursue and process sanctions against illegal rentals, it said - with potential fines going up to 500,000 euros. AirBnB deal AirBnB has said implementing mandatory registration for all new short-term rental listings is a testament to its commitment to Ibiza, "promoting responsible accommodation and ensuring locals share in the tourist economy". Booking.com The site says it works with authorities in Ibiza to combat illegal listings "and foster a transparent tourism ecosystem". A spokesperson said this would continue to "make tourism a positive force for the island". Cruise ships According to IbizaPreservation, 188 cruise ships arrived at Ibiza port in 2023. In September 2024, the island's council said it would limit numbers to allow no more than two to dock at any one time. Vehicle limit A cap of 20,168 on non-resident vehicles is now in force until September, to "correct an unsustainable situation" of exponential growth over the last 25 years, the island council has said. 'I SERVE THE RICH' At a camp in Es Gorg, also near to Playa d'en Bossa and the OId Town, the scene is different to Sa Joveria. Here, dozens of people are living in vans, caravans and campervans, rather than huts. One man, Charlie, 48, from Seville, is a children's entertainer by day and cleans the streets overnight, working until about 4am. With his little dog entertaining with tricks, he tells us he does not want to pay "really expensive rent" - having seen balconies rented for people to sleep on for 700 euros - and is happy here in his caravan, living a more nomadic lifestyle."Ibiza has a kind of special energy," he says. "What makes me happy is I don't have to pay 700 euros. I can go and spend my money wherever I want, and this is what makes me feel happy. I don't have any trouble." Victor (pictured below), a 28-year-old father who lives in a van nearby with his wife and young daughter, says his situation is more complicated. He is Colombian, but has lived here for a year. "I work here in the Old Town, serving the rich," he says. "My question is: if we are not here, who will serve these people?" He is keen to tell us there are no "bad people" at the camp - something workers at Sa Joveria were also keen to stress - and that he pays taxes. He has solar panels that provide a little power "to charge your phone", he says, and has to collect and carry water "every day"."We would have wanted to be in an apartment for the sake of my daughter," he says. "But this is the only option." He says he is in touch with authorities to see if there is anything that can be done to help his living situation, but he is not optimistic. "I need an alternative," he says. "But I'm not going to leave the island when my daughter was born here." Image captions SEWAGE On the other side of the island, at a beach opposite the famous party resort of San Antonio, a different problem is highlighted by IbizaPreservation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to the conservation of Ibiza and its neighbouring smaller island of Formentera - which has also become a celebrity hotspot (landing Katy Perry in trouble) in recent years. IbizaPreservation's Sustainability Observatory co-ordinator Elisa Langley, who was born and raised in San Agustin, not far away, highlights recent closures of beaches due to sewage."In one year, we have had 21 episodes of pollution [across the island]," she says. "Waste waters directly to the sea or to the area of the beach." In 2010, 41 water sampling points at beaches around the island were classified as excellent, according to the foundation. However, in 2023, the number of points rated excellent quality had reduced by half to 21 - with 15 rated good and five rated sufficient. The island's sewage system is old and simply cannot cope during the peak months, IbizaPreservation says. There is currently not enough data to say for certain that increasing tourism is causing the problem of spills, Langley says, but it can't be helping. There are several key solutions that could make "a real difference", she adds, including setting capacity limits - restricting the number of flights, hotel beds and holiday rentals. "Ibiza also needs to protect its natural spaces by limiting access to fragile areas and investing in sustainable transport." Salvem Sa Badia de Portmany, an association dedicated to protecting the Bay of Portmany - the coastal section on the west of the island that includes San Antonio - says the island's sewage system becomes "overwhelmed when there is heavy rainfall and large amounts of greywater from showers and sinks being discharged"."The situation has consistently worsened," a spokesperson says. "As the infrastructure continues to age and the island grows more crowded each summer, the pressure on the system increases. Beaches are suffering - increasing signs of sewage contamination, foul odours, and decaying marine ecosystems are becoming common in the Bay of San Antonio."Seagrass meadows – vital for clean water and biodiversity – are being destroyed, mainly because of lack of controls on the nautic activities and because of the deficient sewage infrastructure. This is all at odds with Ibiza's public image as a pristine, luxury nature destination."Residents are constantly urged to save water, while tourists enjoy unlimited pools, showers, and daily towel services – a model of consumption that is completely unsustainable." While there have been "steps in the right direction" in terms of the tighter controls on short-term rentals, Langley says stricter regulation is also "essential" to help ease the housing crisis for residents and workers. "The main thing is that there is sufficient inspection activity and that cases are brought to a conclusion with exemplary fines for those who do not comply with the law." Langley says the island is near breaking point. "Without urgent action, Ibiza's fragile ecosystems and quality of life are at serious risk." Image captions WHAT NEXT? One person who has been vocal about the pressures is The Secret DJ – an anonymous British DJ and author who started working in Ibiza's clubs in the early 1990s, and moved permanently after Brexit. The problems are global problems, he says, but are magnified on a small island. "Ibiza is a microcosm... it's very wealthy, quite powerful in its own way. There's a lot of money here. It experiences the same problems as somewhere like London or New York, but it experiences them more intensely." There are many positives, he says, and cautions on "aggressive nostalgia" for past eras. "People talk of a golden era – 'oh, Ibiza's over'. They've been saying that for the entire time I've been here... when people idolise a place, they expect it to be frozen in amber. Each generation finds the Ibiza they're looking for." Privilege 2005 Privilege 2005 However, he says the problems created by increasing tourism can't be denied. "We have a very limited resource of water. It's desalinated, reclaimed water. An island that's barely 20 miles across does not have the resources for millions and millions of people." Roads have become increasingly clogged with traffic in recent years, he says, and there are pressures on the health service. "It's a tiny place that's hugely over-subscribed." But the DJ is keen to stress he loves the island, and his criticism is not the same as complaining. "I don't believe it's wrong to speak of difficulties, especially when they're now at almost like a fulcrum point, a turning point, where it's unsustainable. We're at the point where there's simply too many people." Of course, tourism is vital for Ibiza, creating thousands and thousands of jobs each year. Authorities are implementing measures to ease the pressures, but it's clear there is a problem, a housing crisis that appears to be getting worse, and a strain on the island's infrastructure. The island has always embraced its visitors, but with protests ramping up in Ibiza and the Balearic Islands, as well as in parts of mainland Spain - many are saying enough is enough. Image captions CREDITS Written and produced by: Gemma Peplow, culture reporter Saskia Lumley, video journalist Design Simona Pedrali Noy Amira Mutiara Pictures: Europa Press via AP iStock Paul Underhill/Pymca/Shutterstock Top Built with Shorthand 'I serve the rich but live in a van': Is Ibiza at breaking point? This content is provided by 'I serve the rich but live in a van': Is Ibiza at breaking point?, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. 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Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
In an area of shrubland near to the main public hospital, a shanty town of wooden huts draped with tarpaulins heats up in the Ibiza sun. The backdrop of the island's beautiful Old Town is just a mile or so in the distance, but feels like a world away. Here at this makeshift camp in Sa Joveria, not far from the popular beach and party resort of Playa d'en Bossa, dozens of people are living with no electricity, no running water, no waste services, sharing spaces covering just a few square feet. It is the side to Ibiza most do not see. Behind the island's glitz and glamour lies a growing inequality crisis; reports of essential workers such as police officers among those staying in camps, living with friends or family, or even commuting from Majorca due to spiralling living costs fuelled in part by record-high tourism. This weekend, protests against over-tourism are planned across Ibiza, Majorca and areas of mainland Spain, following similar demonstrations last year. "We say enough to the destruction of the territory, to the precariousness, to the housing crisis, to the loss of rights," says the Menys Turisme Mes Vida (Less Tourism More Life) campaign group. Protests in Ibiza in September 2024 Protests in Ibiza in September 2024"I know one person working two different jobs but living in a tent. Someone else paying 850 euros for a single room, now possibly having to share it because the landlord wants to put a bunk bed in... People sleeping on balconies, paying 500 euros a month. There are key workers desperate for accommodation, doctors pleading - I work in a hospital saving lives and I have nowhere to live." Ibiza resident In the camps in Ibiza, many people are nervous about speaking out. But Mohammed, from the territory of Western Sahara, invites us in. He tells us he works in construction and has been on the island for two-and-a-half years. He never expected to be living like this in Ibiza, he says. "It is hard. But it is better than living on the street." The 32-year-old is just one of an increasing number of local and foreign workers the island relies on, unable to afford space in a bedroom, let alone an apartment or a house. A friend pours out small glasses of traditional tea for us to sip as they huddle around a small table. The disparity between the wealth surrounding the area and the conditions they are living in is obvious, Mohammed acknowledges. "But what are you going to do?" Image captions HIPPIES TO THE SUPER RICH Millions of tourists head to the Balearic Islands each year. Like its neighbours Majorca and Menorca, Ibiza has the sun, sea and sand, but most who visit will tell you there is something more that draws them here. From the creatives escaping Franco's Spain in the 1930s to the hippies who set up in the 1960s, the White Isle has long been a haven for the unconventional, and many still come for the anything goes ethos. People are also here to party. Pacha, the island's first nightclub, opened in 1973 - and Wham!'s Club Tropicana video in 1983, filmed at the famous Pikes Hotel, cemented its party reputation. In recent years, Ibiza has increasingly become a luxury playground for the rich, with superyachts worth millions among the boats in the waters of Ibiza Town's port, and Instagrammable superclubs boasting VIP tables costing thousands of euros to secure. Tourism accounts for about 84% of the economy and is vital for the island, with tourist spending reaching 4.3bn euros in 2024, according to the Balearic Institute of Statistics (IBESTAT) - an increase of 62% since 2016. The number of tourists reached a record high of more than 3.7m for Ibiza and neighbouring Formentera in 2023 – an increase of almost 25% since 2016. Flights have also increased dramatically since the turn of the millennium, from just over 25,000 in 2000 to a record 66,000 scheduled this year, according to flights database OAG. Almost a fifth (18%) of these are from the UK - the biggest share after internal flights from the rest of Spain. Many residents and workers say the numbers have become unsustainable - that the island is at "breaking point". Environmental campaigners highlight beach closures due to sewage in recent years, while housing is a major issue across Spain generally as it struggles to balance a key driver of its economy with concerns over high rents due to gentrification, landlords shifting to more lucrative, short-term rentals or even leaving properties empty, and illegal sub-letting. Ibiza seems to be one of the places feeling this acutely. On property site Idealista, rooms in shared apartments have been advertised for 1,500 euros a month - we even found one advertised for the month of August for 4,000 euros. In the peak summer months in 2024, the cost of renting in the Balearic Islands was up by more than 20% year on 2023, according to the site, and the trend looks set to continue this summer. A recent Bank of Spain report said the country has a shortfall of 450,000 homes - and in the tourist hotspots such as the Balearics and Canary Islands, half the housing stock is tourist accommodation or properties owned by non-residents, it found. Authorities are putting measures in place to try and curb the problem. Heavy fines have reportedly been introduced for those not complying with laws, and in February, Consell d'Eivissa (Ibiza's island council) announced a deal with AirBnB to crack down on unregulated holiday lettings on its platform. Sky News understands more than 450 listings have been removed already as a result. A plan to limit cruise ship arrivals was announced last year, and new rules restricting the numbers of tourist cars and caravans during peak months also came into force at the beginning of June. But is it enough? Image captions 'MORE LUXURY, MORE EXPENSIVE' Jane Cull, an English teacher in a language school who has lived on the island for several years, has been staying with a friend while she finishes the term, after being told to leave her apartment at short notice."I've been running around almost begging and feeling really humiliated, asking everybody I've ever known on the island if they can help me," she says. "Over the last few years, it's become increasingly difficult, because what you'd pay before for a whole apartment is what a lot of people are [now] paying for a room. And if you do find a room that's reasonably priced in the winter time, then you're kind of pushed out in the summer season, which has happened to me and many other teachers I know." Teacher Jane Cull Teacher Jane Cull She now faces a search for somewhere more permanent for the new term in September, which she says will be difficult as it is still a busy month for tourism. The island has changed, she says, but there is still much about it she loves."I love the hippie kind of vibe and the history... but as time has gone on it's got very commercial," she says. "More fast-moving, more expensive, more luxury. It's changed a lot. I think that's part of life, around the world, but it's difficult to accept, especially if you planned your life until retirement here.""I am nearly 30 and live with my grandmother, husband and two children. We are used to tourists here and like tourists, but in the last few years things have become much more expensive. My friend still lives with her parents. We cannot be independent because we cannot afford to rent." Ibiza resident Dean Gallagher, who works several jobs - in teaching, property management, DJing and, most famously , snake catching - has been living here for 22 years."There's lots of colourful people here and it's very liberal and laid-back, very progressive. You can walk down the street and bump into literally anyone - celebrities, hippies, DJs, and [in the north] it's very calm and quiet and peaceful. It's not all about intense hedonism." But he says the housing problem needs to be addressed. He rents a "humble" property but says he would find it impossible to buy even a studio flat, despite working several jobs."Over the last six or seven years, I've seen rents literally double... I know people, key workers, affected by this, people we really need for security, for healthcare, and they're living in terrible conditions, some of them... Ibiza's a popular island, I understand that, but key workers need a place to live.""People are really struggling. I think there needs to be a balance. Wealthy people can come here and buy, but they also need to give something." Even the invasive snakes he is known for catching on the island are a symptom of the problem, he says. "When people move here... they've brought palm trees and moreover olive trees from the mainland, which unfortunately had a few stowaways. Those stowaways were snake eggs. They hatched here, multiplied, and now the island is plagued with them." Property manager and snake catcher Dean Gallagher Property manager and snake catcher Dean Gallagher Many property owners choose to rent to tourists or even keep homes empty over letting long-term, he says, to avoid the risk of tenants potentially not paying rent, and the complications that come with that. AirBnB, which is working with authorities on lettings breaking rules, also says empty homes are the biggest problem. Short-term lets have decreased by almost 29% in the last four years, a spokesperson said - " whereas there are now four times more empty homes than tourist homes in Ibiza". Ibiza, like most other small islands, has a "very delicate ecosystem", Dean adds. "And over-building and over-decadence can cause problems in very delicate ecosystems. If [Ibiza] gets too up to date with the rest of the world, [it becomes] a lot like a rich neighbourhood in a big city, then it's kind of losing its specialness. I think everyone is entitled to progress and make money, but we do need to conserve what's really special about this place." Image captions ' WEALTH, FAME - IT ATTRACTS CRIME' For police officer Rafael Gimenez, who was born and raised in Ibiza, the spiralling cost of living became too much. After three years of policing here, he moved to Aragon, in mainland Spain, at the end of 2023, with his wife and two sons."The quality of life has dropped dramatically for residents especially," he says. "I have two children and I believe that for the moment, how Ibiza is, I cannot give them a good quality of life here." Police officer Rafael Gimenez Police officer Rafael Gimenez The island is not big enough to sustain the level of tourism it sees now, he says."I think the core issue is [tourism] massification because along with massification comes everything – the rising prices, the collapse of infrastructures, environmental issues, like a lack of water supply for people, the destruction of the natural environment." He says he also felt there were issues with tackling crime. In recent years, there have been reports of criminals targeting the wealthy and luxury accommodation - such as in 2024, when three people suspected of being part of a criminal gang targeting villas, including one rented by British broadcaster Nick Grimshaw, were arrested by Spanish authorities."Ibiza is attracting a lot people who are very wealthy, a lot of famous people, and of course that attracts the attention of criminal organisations. I was experiencing a lot of alerts regarding breaking into houses, violent robberies of watches, and of course this means that Ibiza as well is becoming like a criminal organisation's place of operations." Protests in April 2025 Protests in April 2025 Gimenez and his mother, Xaquelina Ana Perry, are members of Prou Eivissa (Enough Ibiza), a campaign group calling for an end to overtourism. She says the accommodation crisis is now "really out of control", and like others we spoke to, says she is aware of hotel workers, sanitary workers and even police officers living in camps in recent years."The island relies on these workers, doesn't it?" she says. "We need people to serve the restaurants, clean the hotels, we need teachers. But if there's no accommodation, [some have] got no choice but to live like this, to earn a living." Prou Eivissa, she stresses, is not about against the tourism that for many years ran in sync with the island. "What we are is against the [current] model of tourism and the massification of tourism, because this island is beautiful." Image captions WHAT IS BEING DONE? Fines In April, the island's council said it continued its "unprecedented fight" against illegal tourist lettings. More staff are being hired to pursue and process sanctions against illegal rentals, it said - with potential fines going up to 500,000 euros. AirBnB deal AirBnB has said implementing mandatory registration for all new short-term rental listings is a testament to its commitment to Ibiza, "promoting responsible accommodation and ensuring locals share in the tourist economy". Booking.com The site says it works with authorities in Ibiza to combat illegal listings "and foster a transparent tourism ecosystem". A spokesperson said this would continue to "make tourism a positive force for the island". Cruise ships According to IbizaPreservation, 188 cruise ships arrived at Ibiza port in 2023. In September 2024, the island's council said it would limit numbers to allow no more than two to dock at any one time. Vehicle limit A cap of 20,168 on non-resident vehicles is now in force until September, to "correct an unsustainable situation" of exponential growth over the last 25 years, the island council has said. 'I SERVE THE RICH' At a camp in Es Gorg, also near to Playa d'en Bossa and the OId Town, the scene is different to Sa Joveria. Here, dozens of people are living in vans, caravans and campervans, rather than huts. One man, Charlie, 48, from Seville, is a children's entertainer by day and cleans the streets overnight, working until about 4am. With his little dog entertaining with tricks, he tells us he does not want to pay "really expensive rent" - having seen balconies rented for people to sleep on for 700 euros - and is happy here in his caravan, living a more nomadic lifestyle."Ibiza has a kind of special energy," he says. "What makes me happy is I don't have to pay 700 euros. I can go and spend my money wherever I want, and this is what makes me feel happy. I don't have any trouble." Victor (pictured below), a 28-year-old father who lives in a van nearby with his wife and young daughter, says his situation is more complicated. He is Colombian, but has lived here for a year. "I work here in the Old Town, serving the rich," he says. "My question is: if we are not here, who will serve these people?" He is keen to tell us there are no "bad people" at the camp - something workers at Sa Joveria were also keen to stress - and that he pays taxes. He has solar panels that provide a little power "to charge your phone", he says, and has to collect and carry water "every day"."We would have wanted to be in an apartment for the sake of my daughter," he says. "But this is the only option." He says he is in touch with authorities to see if there is anything that can be done to help his living situation, but he is not optimistic. "I need an alternative," he says. "But I'm not going to leave the island when my daughter was born here." Image captions SEWAGE On the other side of the island, at a beach opposite the famous party resort of San Antonio, a different problem is highlighted by IbizaPreservation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to the conservation of Ibiza and its neighbouring smaller island of Formentera - which has also become a celebrity hotspot (landing Katy Perry in trouble) in recent years. IbizaPreservation's Sustainability Observatory co-ordinator Elisa Langley, who was born and raised in San Agustin, not far away, highlights recent closures of beaches due to sewage."In one year, we have had 21 episodes of pollution [across the island]," she says. "Waste waters directly to the sea or to the area of the beach." In 2010, 41 water sampling points at beaches around the island were classified as excellent, according to the foundation. However, in 2023, the number of points rated excellent quality had reduced by half to 21 - with 15 rated good and five rated sufficient. The island's sewage system is old and simply cannot cope during the peak months, IbizaPreservation says. There is currently not enough data to say for certain that increasing tourism is causing the problem of spills, Langley says, but it can't be helping. There are several key solutions that could make "a real difference", she adds, including setting capacity limits - restricting the number of flights, hotel beds and holiday rentals. "Ibiza also needs to protect its natural spaces by limiting access to fragile areas and investing in sustainable transport." Salvem Sa Badia de Portmany, an association dedicated to protecting the Bay of Portmany - the coastal section on the west of the island that includes San Antonio - says the island's sewage system becomes "overwhelmed when there is heavy rainfall and large amounts of greywater from showers and sinks being discharged"."The situation has consistently worsened," a spokesperson says. "As the infrastructure continues to age and the island grows more crowded each summer, the pressure on the system increases. Beaches are suffering - increasing signs of sewage contamination, foul odours, and decaying marine ecosystems are becoming common in the Bay of San Antonio."Seagrass meadows – vital for clean water and biodiversity – are being destroyed, mainly because of lack of controls on the nautic activities and because of the deficient sewage infrastructure. This is all at odds with Ibiza's public image as a pristine, luxury nature destination."Residents are constantly urged to save water, while tourists enjoy unlimited pools, showers, and daily towel services – a model of consumption that is completely unsustainable." While there have been "steps in the right direction" in terms of the tighter controls on short-term rentals, Langley says stricter regulation is also "essential" to help ease the housing crisis for residents and workers. "The main thing is that there is sufficient inspection activity and that cases are brought to a conclusion with exemplary fines for those who do not comply with the law." Langley says the island is near breaking point. "Without urgent action, Ibiza's fragile ecosystems and quality of life are at serious risk." Image captions WHAT NEXT? One person who has been vocal about the pressures is The Secret DJ – an anonymous British DJ and author who started working in Ibiza's clubs in the early 1990s, and moved permanently after Brexit. The problems are global problems, he says, but are magnified on a small island. "Ibiza is a microcosm... it's very wealthy, quite powerful in its own way. There's a lot of money here. It experiences the same problems as somewhere like London or New York, but it experiences them more intensely." There are many positives, he says, and cautions on "aggressive nostalgia" for past eras. "People talk of a golden era – 'oh, Ibiza's over'. They've been saying that for the entire time I've been here... when people idolise a place, they expect it to be frozen in amber. Each generation finds the Ibiza they're looking for." Privilege 2005 Privilege 2005 However, he says the problems created by increasing tourism can't be denied. "We have a very limited resource of water. It's desalinated, reclaimed water. An island that's barely 20 miles across does not have the resources for millions and millions of people." Roads have become increasingly clogged with traffic in recent years, he says, and there are pressures on the health service. "It's a tiny place that's hugely over-subscribed." But the DJ is keen to stress he loves the island, and his criticism is not the same as complaining. "I don't believe it's wrong to speak of difficulties, especially when they're now at almost like a fulcrum point, a turning point, where it's unsustainable. We're at the point where there's simply too many people." Of course, tourism is vital for Ibiza, creating thousands and thousands of jobs each year. Authorities are implementing measures to ease the pressures, but it's clear there is a problem, a housing crisis that appears to be getting worse, and a strain on the island's infrastructure. The island has always embraced its visitors, but with protests ramping up in Ibiza and the Balearic Islands, as well as in parts of mainland Spain - many are saying enough is enough. Image captions CREDITS Written and produced by: Gemma Peplow, culture reporter Saskia Lumley, video journalist Design Simona Pedrali Noy Amira Mutiara Pictures: Europa Press via AP iStock Paul Underhill/Pymca/Shutterstock Top Built with Shorthand 'I serve the rich but live in a van': Is Ibiza at breaking point? This content is provided by 'I serve the rich but live in a van': Is Ibiza at breaking point?, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. 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In an area of shrubland near to the main public hospital, a shanty town of wooden huts draped with tarpaulins heats up in the Ibiza sun. The backdrop of the island's beautiful Old Town is just a mile or so in the distance, but feels like a world away. Here at this makeshift camp in Sa Joveria, not far from the popular beach and party resort of Playa d'en Bossa, dozens of people are living with no electricity, no running water, no waste services, sharing spaces covering just a few square feet. It is the side to Ibiza most do not see. Behind the island's glitz and glamour lies a growing inequality crisis; reports of essential workers such as police officers among those staying in camps, living with friends or family, or even commuting from Majorca due to spiralling living costs fuelled in part by record-high tourism. This weekend, protests against over-tourism are planned across Ibiza, Majorca and areas of mainland Spain, following similar demonstrations last year. "We say enough to the destruction of the territory, to the precariousness, to the housing crisis, to the loss of rights," says the Menys Turisme Mes Vida (Less Tourism More Life) campaign group. "I know one person working two different jobs but living in a tent. Someone else paying 850 euros for a single room, now possibly having to share it because the landlord wants to put a bunk bed in... People sleeping on balconies, paying 500 euros a month. There are key workers desperate for accommodation, doctors pleading - I work in a hospital saving lives and I have nowhere to live." Ibiza resident In the camps in Ibiza, many people are nervous about speaking out. But Mohammed, from the territory of Western Sahara, invites us in. He tells us he works in construction and has been on the island for two-and-a-half years. He never expected to be living like this in Ibiza, he says. "It is hard. But it is better than living on the street." The 32-year-old is just one of an increasing number of local and foreign workers the island relies on, unable to afford space in a bedroom, let alone an apartment or a house. A friend pours out small glasses of traditional tea for us to sip as they huddle around a small table. The disparity between the wealth surrounding the area and the conditions they are living in is obvious, Mohammed acknowledges. "But what are you going to do?" HIPPIES TO THE SUPER RICH Millions of tourists head to the Balearic Islands each year. Like its neighbours Majorca and Menorca, Ibiza has the sun, sea and sand, but most who visit will tell you there is something more that draws them here. From the creatives escaping Franco's Spain in the 1930s to the hippies who set up in the 1960s, the White Isle has long been a haven for the unconventional, and many still come for the anything goes ethos. People are also here to party. Pacha, the island's first nightclub, opened in 1973 - and Wham!'s Club Tropicana video in 1983, filmed at the famous Pikes Hotel, cemented its party reputation. In recent years, Ibiza has increasingly become a luxury playground for the rich, with superyachts worth millions among the boats in the waters of Ibiza Town's port, and Instagrammable superclubs boasting VIP tables costing thousands of euros to secure. Tourism accounts for about 84% of the economy and is vital for the island, with tourist spending reaching 4.3bn euros in 2024, according to the Balearic Institute of Statistics (IBESTAT) - an increase of 62% since 2016. The number of tourists reached a record high of more than 3.7m for Ibiza and neighbouring Formentera in 2023 – an increase of almost 25% since 2016. Flights have also increased dramatically since the turn of the millennium, from just over 25,000 in 2000 to a record 66,000 scheduled this year, according to flights database OAG. Almost a fifth (18%) of these are from the UK - the biggest share after internal flights from the rest of Spain. Many residents and workers say the numbers have become unsustainable - that the island is at "breaking point". Environmental campaigners highlight beach closures due to sewage in recent years, while housing is a major issue across Spain generally as it struggles to balance a key driver of its economy with concerns over high rents due to gentrification, landlords shifting to more lucrative, short-term rentals or even leaving properties empty, and illegal sub-letting. Ibiza seems to be one of the places feeling this acutely. On property site Idealista, rooms in shared apartments have been advertised for 1,500 euros a month - we even found one advertised for the month of August for 4,000 euros. In the peak summer months in 2024, the cost of renting in the Balearic Islands was up by more than 20% year on 2023, according to the site, and the trend looks set to continue this summer. A recent Bank of Spain report said the country has a shortfall of 450,000 homes - and in the tourist hotspots such as the Balearics and Canary Islands, half the housing stock is tourist accommodation or properties owned by non-residents, it found. Authorities are putting measures in place to try and curb the problem. Heavy fines have reportedly been introduced for those not complying with laws, and in February, Consell d'Eivissa (Ibiza's island council) announced a deal with AirBnB to crack down on unregulated holiday lettings on its platform. Sky News understands more than 450 listings have been removed already as a result. A plan to limit cruise ship arrivals was announced last year, and new rules restricting the numbers of tourist cars and caravans during peak months also came into force at the beginning of June. But is it enough? 'MORE LUXURY, MORE EXPENSIVE' Jane Cull, an English teacher in a language school who has lived on the island for several years, has been staying with a friend while she finishes the term, after being told to leave her apartment at short notice. "I've been running around almost begging and feeling really humiliated, asking everybody I've ever known on the island if they can help me," she says. "Over the last few years, it's become increasingly difficult, because what you'd pay before for a whole apartment is what a lot of people are [now] paying for a room. And if you do find a room that's reasonably priced in the winter time, then you're kind of pushed out in the summer season, which has happened to me and many other teachers I know." She now faces a search for somewhere more permanent for the new term in September, which she says will be difficult as it is still a busy month for tourism. The island has changed, she says, but there is still much about it she loves. "I love the hippie kind of vibe and the history... but as time has gone on it's got very commercial," she says. "More fast-moving, more expensive, more luxury. It's changed a lot. I think that's part of life, around the world, but it's difficult to accept, especially if you planned your life until retirement here." "I am nearly 30 and live with my grandmother, husband and two children. We are used to tourists here and like tourists, but in the last few years things have become much more expensive. My friend still lives with her parents. We cannot be independent because we cannot afford to rent." Ibiza resident Dean Gallagher, who works several jobs - in teaching, property management, DJing and, most famously , snake catching - has been living here for 22 years. "There's lots of colourful people here and it's very liberal and laid-back, very progressive. You can walk down the street and bump into literally anyone - celebrities, hippies, DJs, and [in the north] it's very calm and quiet and peaceful. It's not all about intense hedonism." But he says the housing problem needs to be addressed. He rents a "humble" property but says he would find it impossible to buy even a studio flat, despite working several jobs. "Over the last six or seven years, I've seen rents literally double... I know people, key workers, affected by this, people we really need for security, for healthcare, and they're living in terrible conditions, some of them... Ibiza's a popular island, I understand that, but key workers need a place to live." "People are really struggling. I think there needs to be a balance. Wealthy people can come here and buy, but they also need to give something." Even the invasive snakes he is known for catching on the island are a symptom of the problem, he says. "When people move here... they've brought palm trees and moreover olive trees from the mainland, which unfortunately had a few stowaways. Those stowaways were snake eggs. They hatched here, multiplied, and now the island is plagued with them." Many property owners choose to rent to tourists or even keep homes empty over letting long-term, he says, to avoid the risk of tenants potentially not paying rent, and the complications that come with that. AirBnB, which is working with authorities on lettings breaking rules, also says empty homes are the biggest problem. Short-term lets have decreased by almost 29% in the last four years, a spokesperson said - "whereas there are now four times more empty homes than tourist homes in Ibiza". Ibiza, like most other small islands, has a "very delicate ecosystem", Dean adds. "And over-building and over-decadence can cause problems in very delicate ecosystems. If [Ibiza] gets too up to date with the rest of the world, [it becomes] a lot like a rich neighbourhood in a big city, then it's kind of losing its specialness. I think everyone is entitled to progress and make money, but we do need to conserve what's really special about this place." ' WEALTH, FAME - IT ATTRACTS CRIME' For police officer Rafael Gimenez, who was born and raised in Ibiza, the spiralling cost of living became too much. After three years of policing here, he moved to Aragon, in mainland Spain, at the end of 2023, with his wife and two sons. "The quality of life has dropped dramatically for residents especially," he says. "I have two children and I believe that for the moment, how Ibiza is, I cannot give them a good quality of life here." The island is not big enough to sustain the level of tourism it sees now, he says. "I think the core issue is [tourism] massification because along with massification comes everything – the rising prices, the collapse of infrastructures, environmental issues, like a lack of water supply for people, the destruction of the natural environment." He says he also felt there were issues with tackling crime. In recent years, there have been reports of criminals targeting the wealthy and luxury accommodation - such as in 2024, when three people suspected of being part of a criminal gang targeting villas, including one rented by British broadcaster Nick Grimshaw, were arrested by Spanish authorities. "Ibiza is attracting a lot people who are very wealthy, a lot of famous people, and of course that attracts the attention of criminal organisations. I was experiencing a lot of alerts regarding breaking into houses, violent robberies of watches, and of course this means that Ibiza as well is becoming like a criminal organisation's place of operations." Gimenez and his mother, Xaquelina Ana Perry, are members of Prou Eivissa (Enough Ibiza), a campaign group calling for an end to overtourism. She says the accommodation crisis is now "really out of control", and like others we spoke to, says she is aware of hotel workers, sanitary workers and even police officers living in camps in recent years. "The island relies on these workers, doesn't it?" she says. "We need people to serve the restaurants, clean the hotels, we need teachers. But if there's no accommodation, [some have] got no choice but to live like this, to earn a living." Prou Eivissa, she stresses, is not about against the tourism that for many years ran in sync with the island. "What we are is against the [current] model of tourism and the massification of tourism, because this island is beautiful." WHAT IS BEING DONE? Fines In April, the island's council said it continued its "unprecedented fight" against illegal tourist lettings. More staff are being hired to pursue and process sanctions against illegal rentals, it said - with potential fines going up to 500,000 euros. AirBnB deal AirBnB has said implementing mandatory registration for all new short-term rental listings is a testament to its commitment to Ibiza, "promoting responsible accommodation and ensuring locals share in the tourist economy". The site says it works with authorities in Ibiza to combat illegal listings "and foster a transparent tourism ecosystem". A spokesperson said this would continue to "make tourism a positive force for the island". Cruise ships According to IbizaPreservation, 188 cruise ships arrived at Ibiza port in 2023. In September 2024, the island's council said it would limit numbers to allow no more than two to dock at any one time. Vehicle limit A cap of 20,168 on non-resident vehicles is now in force until September, to "correct an unsustainable situation" of exponential growth over the last 25 years, the island council has said. 'I SERVE THE RICH' At a camp in Es Gorg, also near to Playa d'en Bossa and the OId Town, the scene is different to Sa Joveria. Here, dozens of people are living in vans, caravans and campervans, rather than huts. One man, Charlie, 48, from Seville, is a children's entertainer by day and cleans the streets overnight, working until about 4am. With his little dog entertaining with tricks, he tells us he does not want to pay "really expensive rent" - having seen balconies rented for people to sleep on for 700 euros - and is happy here in his caravan, living a more nomadic lifestyle. "Ibiza has a kind of special energy," he says. "What makes me happy is I don't have to pay 700 euros. I can go and spend my money wherever I want, and this is what makes me feel happy. I don't have any trouble." Victor (pictured below), a 28-year-old father who lives in a van nearby with his wife and young daughter, says his situation is more complicated. He is Colombian, but has lived here for a year. "I work here in the Old Town, serving the rich," he says. "My question is: if we are not here, who will serve these people?" He is keen to tell us there are no "bad people" at the camp - something workers at Sa Joveria were also keen to stress - and that he pays taxes. He has solar panels that provide a little power "to charge your phone", he says, and has to collect and carry water "every day". "We would have wanted to be in an apartment for the sake of my daughter," he says. "But this is the only option." He says he is in touch with authorities to see if there is anything that can be done to help his living situation, but he is not optimistic. "I need an alternative," he says. "But I'm not going to leave the island when my daughter was born here." SEWAGE On the other side of the island, at a beach opposite the famous party resort of San Antonio, a different problem is highlighted by IbizaPreservation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to the conservation of Ibiza and its neighbouring smaller island of Formentera - which has also become a celebrity hotspot (landing Katy Perry in trouble) in recent years. IbizaPreservation's Sustainability Observatory co-ordinator Elisa Langley, who was born and raised in San Agustin, not far away, highlights recent closures of beaches due to sewage. "In one year, we have had 21 episodes of pollution [across the island]," she says. "Waste waters directly to the sea or to the area of the beach." In 2010, 41 water sampling points at beaches around the island were classified as excellent, according to the foundation. However, in 2023, the number of points rated excellent quality had reduced by half to 21 - with 15 rated good and five rated sufficient. The island's sewage system is old and simply cannot cope during the peak months, IbizaPreservation says. There is currently not enough data to say for certain that increasing tourism is causing the problem of spills, Langley says, but it can't be helping. There are several key solutions that could make "a real difference", she adds, including setting capacity limits - restricting the number of flights, hotel beds and holiday rentals. "Ibiza also needs to protect its natural spaces by limiting access to fragile areas and investing in sustainable transport." Salvem Sa Badia de Portmany, an association dedicated to protecting the Bay of Portmany - the coastal section on the west of the island that includes San Antonio - says the island's sewage system becomes "overwhelmed when there is heavy rainfall and large amounts of greywater from showers and sinks being discharged". "The situation has consistently worsened," a spokesperson says. "As the infrastructure continues to age and the island grows more crowded each summer, the pressure on the system increases. Beaches are suffering - increasing signs of sewage contamination, foul odours, and decaying marine ecosystems are becoming common in the Bay of San Antonio. "Seagrass meadows – vital for clean water and biodiversity – are being destroyed, mainly because of lack of controls on the nautic activities and because of the deficient sewage infrastructure. This is all at odds with Ibiza's public image as a pristine, luxury nature destination. "Residents are constantly urged to save water, while tourists enjoy unlimited pools, showers, and daily towel services – a model of consumption that is completely unsustainable." While there have been "steps in the right direction" in terms of the tighter controls on short-term rentals, Langley says stricter regulation is also "essential" to help ease the housing crisis for residents and workers. "The main thing is that there is sufficient inspection activity and that cases are brought to a conclusion with exemplary fines for those who do not comply with the law." Langley says the island is near breaking point. "Without urgent action, Ibiza's fragile ecosystems and quality of life are at serious risk." WHAT NEXT? One person who has been vocal about the pressures is The Secret DJ – an anonymous British DJ and author who started working in Ibiza's clubs in the early 1990s, and moved permanently after Brexit. The problems are global problems, he says, but are magnified on a small island. "Ibiza is a microcosm... it's very wealthy, quite powerful in its own way. There's a lot of money here. It experiences the same problems as somewhere like London or New York, but it experiences them more intensely." There are many positives, he says, and cautions on "aggressive nostalgia" for past eras. "People talk of a golden era – 'oh, Ibiza's over'. They've been saying that for the entire time I've been here... when people idolise a place, they expect it to be frozen in amber. Each generation finds the Ibiza they're looking for." However, he says the problems created by increasing tourism can't be denied. "We have a very limited resource of water. It's desalinated, reclaimed water. An island that's barely 20 miles across does not have the resources for millions and millions of people." Roads have become increasingly clogged with traffic in recent years, he says, and there are pressures on the health service. "It's a tiny place that's hugely over-subscribed." But the DJ is keen to stress he loves the island, and his criticism is not the same as complaining. "I don't believe it's wrong to speak of difficulties, especially when they're now at almost like a fulcrum point, a turning point, where it's unsustainable. We're at the point where there's simply too many people." Of course, tourism is vital for Ibiza, creating thousands and thousands of jobs each year. Authorities are implementing measures to ease the pressures, but it's clear there is a problem, a housing crisis that appears to be getting worse, and a strain on the island's infrastructure. The island has always embraced its visitors, but with protests ramping up in Ibiza and the Balearic Islands, as well as in parts of mainland Spain - many are saying enough is enough. CREDITS Written and produced by: Gemma Peplow, culture reporter Saskia Lumley, video journalist Design Simona Pedrali Noy Amira Mutiara Pictures: Europa Press via AP iStock Paul Underhill/Pymca/Shutterstock Top Built with Shorthand
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