Mallorca in tourism stress: Luxury tourists overload the island!
Mallorca in tourism stress: Luxury tourists overload the island!
Mallorca, Spanien - The Balearic Island of Mallorca is not only very popular with German vacationers, but is increasingly attracting Americans. This illustrates the changing landscape of tourism, which has developed strongly in recent years. Four direct flights a week now fly from New York to Mallorca, which also boosts interest in the island. With this increased demand, Mallorca is increasingly becoming a hotspot for luxury tourism. According to a recent study, there are around 70 five-star hotels on the island, and the tendency is steeply pointed up, as
The downside of this boom is the immense water consumption that goes hand in hand with this tourism. Celso Garcia, a geography professor, examined the water consumption of tourism in Mallorca. He found that tourists use 280 to 320 liters of water every day at Playa de Palma. Luxury tourists in Palma even need up to 2500 liters of water a day, which are due to swimming pools and gardens of luxurious accommodations. These developments contribute to a feeling of overload, both in terms of natural resources and the infrastructure of the island. The continuous increase in tourists means that the tourist season has extended from the beginning of three to four months to eight months. This has led to a variety of complaints among the local residents who are faced with traffic problems and crowded beaches. In addition, there are always demonstrations against mass and luxury tourism that aim to raise awareness of the challenges that Mallorca faces. Some locals even demand a return to the textile industry in order to become less dependent on the fluctuations in tourism. These considerations underline the inner conflict that many residents feel: tourism not only brings economic profit, but also makes everyday life more difficult. AIDA, a young designer, won the first prize at the Mallorca Design Day and describes tourism as a dilemma. He brings with it both customers and challenges that burden life on the island. In 2024, around 13 million tourists visited Mallorca, a number that exceeds the number of visitors before the Corona crisis. The island is therefore experiencing a real tourism boom, but the problems associated with it are evident. Mallorca suffers from the consequences of continuing tourism, but at the same time depends on it economically. This complex situation requires a comprehensive discussion about how the island can find a balance between economic growth and the preservation of its quality of life. Further information on the challenges and perspectives of tourism in Mallorca can be found in a comprehensive study that is available on unipub.uni-graz.at
overload of the infrastructure
economic dependency
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Mallorca, Spanien |
| Quellen | |