Long, sandy beaches, juicy oranges, and warm weather have made the Spanish island of Mallorca a favorite holiday spot for many tourists.
But this may soon change, as the island's residents have become fed up.
Kurier reports that the Balearic Islands' government has promised to take "bold measures" to address their dissatisfaction.
Deputy Prime Minister Antoni Costa recently told journalists in Palma that these actions would be implemented within a few months, acknowledging that the current growth model is "unsustainable."
"Mallorca is Not for Sale!"
Recent protests against mass tourism have highlighted the islanders' frustrations.
The hotel association FEHM understands the demonstrators' demands and emphasizes a preference for "quality over quantity" in tourism.
However, FEHM Vice President María José Aguiló condemned the aggressive actions of some protesters, who sprayed water on tourists and vandalized hotels with graffiti.
The police estimated that 20,000 people participated in Sunday evening's rally, though organizers claimed the number was as high as 50,000.
Protesters held signs with slogans like "Your luxury, our misery" and "We don't want to be the pioneers of rising housing costs." Some signs also criticized budget airlines.
While some tourists in Palma showed support by applauding, others found the rally unpleasant.
The protest was organized by the group "Less Tourism, More Life."
This demonstration followed another large protest eight weeks earlier, where up to 25,000 people marched in Palma under slogans like "Let's say basta!" and "Mallorca is not for sale!"
Discontent with mass tourism is also spreading to other Spanish tourist hotspots such as Barcelona and the Canary Islands.
With a population of just under 1.2 million, the Balearic Islands, including Mallorca, welcomed 18 million tourists last year. Among these visitors, 4.6 million were from Germany, and 3.4 million from Great Britain, resulting in around 15 tourists for every local resident.
While tourism is vital to Mallorca's economy, contributing 45 percent of the island's economic output, protesters argue that the benefits are unevenly distributed.
They claim that only a few people profit from the tourism boom, while many workers in the sector earn low wages that are not enough to cover the rising costs of housing.
The influx of tourists has also led to increased traffic, noise, and litter.
