Spain panic as politicians look to ‘get rid’ of 40% of tourists on island | World | News

Plans are afoot to reduce the number of tourists on a Spanish island loved by British holidaymakers by up to 40%. 

Politicians on the largest of the Balearic Islands have created a plan to slash the amount of accommodation available.

The plan by Més per Mallorca (More for Majorca) includes several restrictions or “containment measures”.

These measures aim to facilitate the “regrowth” of tourism in Majorca. They include limiting the number of tourist beds – and the number of tourists allowed.

The plan also proposes further restrictions on air travel and cruise ship numbers.

While tourist accommodation capacity would be cut by 40 percent, demand would be limited through a proposed yearly cap on visitor numbers.

The government would also end all promotional activities that market Majorca as a holiday destination.

Official representation at travel and tourism conferences and trade events would also cease.

As part of the plans, private jets would also be banned from Balearic airports and summer season flight schedules would be reduced, reports Travel Tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a maximum of 4,000 cruise ship passengers per ship per day would be able to visit Majorca’s capital,  Palma.

The plan proposes that the revenues from the Sustainable Tourism Tax should be used for the compulsory purchase of tourist accommodation.

This accommodation could then be returned to the long-term rental market, helping to provide locals with homes. 

The proposals have been made as Spain finds itself in the midst of an overtourism crisis. There have been waves of protests across the mainland and various islands.

However, others say the island desperately needs tourists. Majorca’s director of tourism, Susanna Sciacovelli, said: “Let’s be clear that we live off tourism: currently 87% of GDP and 40% of employment.

“Many destinations would kill to have what we have and, if we didn’t have tourism, where would we be?”