European island locals warn tourists to expect ‘surprise’ protests | World | News

Protestors against mass tourism have warned of a summer of “surprise actions” on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza.

They say a number of demonstrations will be carried out “without warning” although others will be pre-announced through the social networks.

The campaigners have not specified what sort of “surprise actions” they intend to carry out.

However, activists are said to be planning a “welcome party” for cruise ship arrivals on July 24th, with more than 10,000 passengers expected on that date.

Protestors stress they have nothing against the visitors to the island, but are against the mass tourism model and the adverse effect it is having on Ibiza.

The Ibiza demonstrations are part of a series of protests that have been taking place in many of Spain’s most popular resorts and cities since April.

The group “Caviem el Rumb” is also planning a demonstration on Sunday to coincide with a similar event in Palma, the capital of Majorca, where up to 10,000 people could take to the streets.

The protestors have already handed out leaflets to tourists in various languages, including English, to air their grievances.

Caviem el Rumb claims that over-tourism is only helping the rich while the poor in Ibiza suffer, especially from the lack of affordable housing.

Spokespersons, María Cardona and Karen Killeen, said in a press conference they are already working on organising a large demonstration that will be held on September 27. This is in addition to the “surprises”.

María Cardona read a manifesto delivered to the island’s council along with a request for the local government to lead a “common reflection process” about the situation both Ibiza and neighbouring Formentera are going through due to excess tourism.

“Ibiza and Formentera are capital production centres at the service of the tourism industry,” said the manifesto.

“An economic monoculture that has provided neither more prosperity nor more equality. It has only served to make the rich richer and expel the poorest from the island.”

The group insisted it does not want to be labelled as tourism-phobic or eco-terrorist but they want to protect the dignity and rights of local people.

“Life in the municipalities of Ibiza and Formentera is extinguished at the same rate as the sargantans (lizards),” they say.

Caviem el Rumb says there is an excess of hotel rooms and it is now impossible for residents to afford rentals and therefore remain on the island.

The transformation of Ibiza into a “luxury destination” is causing serious problems for residents on the island which, like the Canary Islands, has “already exceeded” its limit.

And the group says Ibiza and Formentera have to join the protests happening in all parts of Spain because they are “the living example of the disastrous effects that this path has on the working class.”

A restaurant owner in Palma, Majorca told the Express that protestors were “delusional” and insisted that tourism paid higher than average wages on the island.

He also said that the lack of affordable social housing was entirely the fault of local politicians.

Mariusz Szymecki, one of the owners of the Five Senses Collection chain in Palma, said: “These people who protest, they should protest exactly against these lefty politicians who have been in power and making so much money from tourism.

“They haven’t invested this money into the social housing. You know, there’s a lot of land and there’s a lot of opportunities.”