Restaurant bosses on an island where residents have been carrying out ‘tourists go home’ protests have reported a plunge in takings. According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, even though there were lots of holidaymakers, they were spending less.
Last week hundreds of protesters occupied one of the island’s most popular island beaches, telling travellers to “go home”. People have been appealing for a cap on visitors, saying they can’t afford to live in homes, and that the island is overcrowded.
Protests have been held on the island in recent weeks against mass-tourism, and there have been widespread demonstrations across Spanish holiday destinations including the Canary Islands and Ibiza. Locals have spoken out about the impact of mass-tourism on the environment, rising house prices and overcrowding.
Majorca’s CAEB restaurant association President Alfonso Robledo said the dip started last summer but it has become more noticeable this month. Mr Robledo said: “Before there was no difference between Mondays and Saturdays. We were always full because people who are on holiday don’t take into account whether it is a working day or a public holiday.
“This year, however, customers are leaving their dinners or lunches for the weekends. We don’t understand what is happening because there are more and more tourists.” He added that holidaymakers who do frequent bars and restaurants have reduced their spending, saying: “Now they are much more restrained and more careful about what they consume.”
He said: “Until now, June had always been a good month, giving a taste of what the tourist season could bring. However, this year we are having, in particular, study trips, which has always been the case, and stag and hen parties. These people do not spend and we are missing the tourists with a medium-high purchasing power who used to visit the island before the massive arrival of travellers in July and August.”
The president of the travel agency association Aviba, Pedro Fiol, said fewer tourists are coming to Majorca. “If it weren’t for tourism, which continues to push these figures upwards, Majorca would have averages similar to those of an urban destination,” he warns. He also claimed that “Palma city is dragging these figures down”.
On the story people had their say, with Marvin complaining: “Whenever there’s a slowdown or dip, the Majorcans almost always put the prices up. It’s insane economics and is going to bite them harder and harder as more punters refuse to pay stupid prices for mainly mediocre fare.”
Another commented to say: “Most Majorcan restaurants are extremely expensive for what is offered.” A regular said: “A restaurant/bar I visit sometimes across the road from a beach just outside Palma has doubled its prices within the space of one year. And so rocking up on Friday for lunch not having made a reservation and fearing being turned away I had the pick of tables. Most tourists and locals just won’t pay 25 Euros for a simple fish dish with vegetables at a place that used to charge 13 Euros for the same plate.”