Budget hotels will be bought out by the state to close
The Balearic Islands are setting a precedent in the global tourism industry. The authorities of this island Spanish region have proposed a radical solution in the fight against “tourism of mass destruction.” They will buy low-end hotels and establishments to close them.
The Balearic government has announced a new step in its “crusade” against excessive tourism. In 2022, there were 625,000 travel beds per 1.2 million inhabitants, one of the world's largest travel supply. In the summer season, the island resorts face colossal overcrowding: this year the Balearic Islands even have a new term – “mass destruction tourism”.
Local authorities are determined: they want to reduce the number of places in the most budgetary and cheap segment, which attracts mainly British youth to the Balearic Islands. The tourist reputation of Spanish resorts suffers from drunken and anti-social antics of such tourists.
According to the President of the Balearic Islands, Francine Armengol, the reduction in the number of seats in the economy segment will be carried out without compromising employment or “social cohesion”. During the debate during the new island tourism law, the politician said it was time to move on to concrete measures instead of continuing to discuss “how big and destructive tourism is.”
As a result, a new the law on tourism in the Balearic Islands was passed. It limits the creation of new tourist establishments, and also provides for the elimination of about 40,000 places in the economy segment in the medium and long term. “toxic” places of entertainment, night bars and eateries – will be carried out through their purchase: 10 million euros will be allocated for this purpose. Depending on the location, these establishments will either close forever, or they will be selected by investors to open higher-level facilities in their place.
With this measure, the executive branch intends to promote a qualitative renewal of the tourist offers primarily in Ibiza and Mallorca.