Mallorca Bulletin

PROTESTS COULD MAKE TOURISTS GO ELSEWHERE

Palma.— The Spanish tourist board mo u n t e d a d a m a ge limitation operation in London this week to try and play down the i mpac t the antimass tourism protests in Mallorca and across Spain have had o n t he U K m a r ke t . Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in London, said it is “important to distinguish between specific local tensions and the broader national picture. The vast majority of Spain remains enthusiastic in welcoming tourists. “Where protests have occ urred – in cities such as Barcelona, Palma and Santa Cruz – concerns stem from broader societal issues: housing pressures, rising costs of liv ing, and env ironmental strain in high-density areas.” Warning H owe ve r, Jet2’s C E O, S t e v e H e a p y, said that there was a grow ing “percept i o n” a m o n g s o m e UK sunseekers that they ’re no longer welco me i n S p a i n . H e a py said: “We’ve had people ringing the call centre a nd go i n g i n t o t r ave l agents, asking questions like ‘is Spain safe’, ‘are we still welcome in the resort’. It is becoming a big issue unfortunately, and perception becomes truth.” Heapy said “unlicensed tourism” – such as people staying in private accommodation listed on Airbnb – is “c a u s i n g a h u ge p r o b - l e m” a nd “ne e d s t o be controlled”. Issues such as uncertainty over visitor numbers, unpaid tourist taxes and properties that “could be death traps” are among the issues, he said. “Unfor tunately there’s b e e n a m a s s i ve e x p l o - sion in unlicensed tourism properties.” He said: “Airbnb can be controlled. They don’t rule the world. They are an online platform that we can control and put legislation i n p l a c e .” Heapy said if he was a politician he would introduce fines of “a quarter of a million euros” for Airbnb hosts found not to have the required licences or tax records. Seguir leyendo