This was the headline we woke up to in the Daily Mirror on Monday morning.
Not exactly what you want to see as we prepare for the island to reopen for the Easter holidays, is it? The problem is, these protests make unwanted headlines and bring negativity when it’s just not needed.
What hasn’t been widely reported—especially in the UK press—is the actual turnout for this protest. Now, you have to decide who you believe. The protesters say there were 10,000 people, the Government says 3,500, and the police estimate 1,500. Whichever number you believe, there were significantly fewer people than at the same time last year. Judging by the pictures I saw, I’d probably go with the Government’s figure.
So, why were the numbers so low?
Well, it could be a number of factors, but for me, most importantly: have people finally realised that the problem isn’t the tourists, but the successive governments that have failed to invest in affordable housing? I hope so.
This is something my friend Martin Makepeace and I discuss regularly on our weekly podcast, Talking Balearics. We both agree that the business model of Mallorca—and the rest of the Balearic Islands—is broken and needs replacing. Everyone works in the summer, and everything shuts down in the winter.
In the ’80s and ’90s, it worked. In the noughties, it started to creak. During the 2010s, it really struggled, and now in the 2020s, it’s completely shot. We’re victims of our own success—everyone wants to live here and enjoy a great life, but the majority also need an income. And what brings the income? Yes, you’ve guessed it… tourism!
Without doubt, we have a resident population problem here in Mallorca.
The population is growing, but through immigration—not because of new births. Mallorca’s population stood at just over 950,000 in the middle of last year, with around 28% of foreign descent. Moroccans, Germans, Brits, and Italians are the largest foreign groups, with Palma having the majority across the island.
I’ve been working in Palma for the past two months, and one thing I’ve noticed—something I hadn’t seen before—is that there are apartment blocks everywhere you look, and I imagine they’re inhabited by residents. I don’t see many that are empty, if I’m honest. So if any new building is going to take place, it’ll have to be on the outskirts.
I live in a complex in Santa Ponsa that bans short-term holiday lets. It’s something the Government needs to push onto Airbnb and other rental agents—make it illegal for them to offer short-term holiday rentals. It’s not that difficult to find them online and locate where they are.
If doing so helps relieve the housing shortage—even in a small way—and also reduces over-tourism, then it can only be a good thing.
With Donald Trump seemingly hell-bent on pushing the world either into recession or a third world war, we’re all going to feel it.
Whether that’s through the cost of living here as residents, or through holidaymakers coming to the island with less money to spend.
We really shouldn’t be biting the hand that feeds us. Protest against the Government by all means, but we should be welcoming tourists with open arms.
Dad Taxi Mallorca 