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Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Spanish beach bars demand urgent action as they reveal cost of Brits staying away
The president of the Association of Entrepreneurs of Concessions has demanded that the Balearic government take urgent action to head off this summer's negative results before more businesses and jobs are lost Beach bar owners in one of Spain's most popular resorts say they are facing a dire August and are attributing a lot of the blame to what they call "tourism‑phobia". The lobby group has warned that August, normally a busy month for Majorca, will not produce any sort of boom as tourists watch their spending and stay away from the island en masse. The president of the Association of Entrepreneurs of Concessions has demanded that the Balearic government take urgent action to head off this summer's negative results before more businesses and jobs are lost. The president, Onofre Fornés, says that "results are far below expectations, with July closing with a 20% drop in turnover compared to 2024 and August not looking any better." He argues that high visitor numbers this summer hide the reality, which is a slump caused in part by tourists' falling spending power. The intervention came after some locals said holidaymakers had been 'scared away' from Majorca. Have you been put off taking a holiday in Spain? We'd love to know why. Em ail webtravel@ "The authorities must adopt urgent measures to control the rise in tourist prices, counteract tourism‑phobia and preserve the purchasing power of traditional tourists," Mr Fornés said. "Incomes are not buoyant, costs are rising and the demand for essential services for them such as hammocks and sun loungers is contained." The two key resorts of Playa de Muro and Can Picafort are being singled out as suffering the most. In March, visitors from Majorca's third-largest market, the UK, were down 23.2 % to 48,741. For the Balearics as a whole, the UK fell 25.3 % to 52,170. Other markets showed notable decreases as well, with France down 39.4 % in Majorca and Italy 40.1 %. Mr Fornés has blamed "irresponsible" protestors who send out "negative messages against tourism, "deteriorating the perception of the destination and having a direct impact on the sector's income." Those protesters may not agree with the lobbyist's arguments, however. They have long stressed that the cost of living in Spanish resorts such as the Balearic Islands, as well as the Canary Islands, is too high and the wages they can earn too low. In their eyes, a major part of the problem is the cost of housing, which has been aggravated by the demand for holiday lets such as Airbnbs. Tourism is booming across Europe. George Washington University revealed that in 2024, 747 million travelers visited Europe, more than the population of Europe itself, and this inevitably puts a "strain on local infrastructure, environment, and communities." In Spain, the government is acting. Already this year, it has called for the removal of nearly 66,000 unregulated Airbnb listings and pulled back on social media influencer campaigns that bring selfie tourists to its small and easily overwhelmed beaches. Jessica Harvey, head of press at the Spanish Tourist Office, told the BBC: "We are working with a sustainable tourism model leading with smart technology. We have developed a digital platform that monitors how many people are on beaches, as well as the air quality, sea temperatures, weather and even jellyfish in the water."
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Karma's a beach! 'Irresponsible' anti-tourism protesters are slammed by Spanish beach bars after their 'negative' messages see HUGE slump in trade
Mallorca's beach businesses are warning of a brutal summer season, with earnings plummeting as the backlash against mass tourism intensifies both in Spain and abroad. According to the Association of Temporary Services Concessions and Operations in the Maritime-Terrestrial Public Domain of Mallorca (Adopuma), beach bars, parasol hire companies, and water activity operators have taken a hit of around 20 per cent in July compared to last summer, and things aren't looking any better as August rolls on. In a gloomy statement, the group blamed poor spring weather, spiralling costs, and falling demand for beach services. But they say that increasingly aggressive rhetoric from anti-tourism campaigners is pushing the island's economy to the brink. Adopuma president Onofre Fornés said 'irresponsible negative messages against tourism' for the downturn. Beach tourists, the bread and butter of Mallorca's daytime economy, are no longer spending like they used to, he added. He said: 'Reduced income, higher operating costs and subdued demand for key services, such as sun loungers and deckchairs, have affected turnover, for example in areas such as Playa de Muro and Can Picafort.' Many have been priced out of extras like parasols and cocktails after shelling out more than ever on flights and hotels. According to the association, restaurants are underperforming, beach bar takings are down, and occupancy rates have stayed low even into early August. Staff wages and the cost of goods have both gone up, chewing into profits and leaving many businesses worried about survival, the group warned. Operators in resorts like Cala Millor say tourists are holding off on spending until the very last day of their holidays, a far cry from the more carefree attitude seen in pre-inflation years. Germans in particular, one of Mallorca's biggest markets, have become noticeably more cautious. Adopuma is now urging the government to act fast, capping prices, stamping out anti-tourism sentiment, and ensuring that Mallorca remains affordable for the mid-budget visitors who keep the island ticking. Protests against overtourism erupted across the Balearics, the Canaries and mainland Spain earlier this year. Tens of thousands marched through Palma in July, holding banners that read 'Your luxury, our misery' and demanding curbs on tourist numbers, cruise ships and short-term lets. Local businesses were targeted with stickers, while demonstrators blocked roads and disrupted holidaymakers' plans. Protesters in Barcelona used water pistols to spray unsuspecting tourists in the city centre. Others slapped 'Tourist go home' stickers on restaurants and hotel doors. In one of the city's most symbolic demonstrations yet, activists blocked access to hotels and confronted diners in popular neighbourhoods. In Palma, tensions boiled over when a British tourists were surrounded at a restaurant by angry protesters shouting 'go home' and 'go to hell '. One protester was seen brandishing an axe, and police had to intervene as the group surged towards diners. The violent scenes were widely condemned by politicians, but activists say they are the result of years of frustration over overcrowded streets, surging rents, and wages that haven't kept pace with the cost of living. Some neighbourhoods have put up graffiti telling foreigners to 'go home', while local campaigners accuse foreign residents of pricing Mexicans out of housing and services. The protests were not only confined to Spain - they spread across Europe with scenes in Portugal and Spain. In Mexico, protesters smashed up shops and approached foreigners, telling them to leave.
