On Friday, the Balearic government defended its tourism policy against criticism from civil society. Ahead of the human chain against mass tourism announced for Saturday in Palma , government spokesperson Antoni Costa after the meeting of the Consell de Governsaid the cabinet was aware of public discontent and had already taken action.
Costa cited a cap on tourist accommodation places, a tough crackdown on illegal holiday rentals with heavy penalties, and restrictions on cruise ship calls. He also referred to limits on vehicles entering Eivissa and Formentera. According to him, similar measures are also to be prepared for Menorca and Mallorca this year. The government made clear that it respected the right to freedom of expression and assembly, but expected the protests to pass peacefully.
The human chain, also promoted locally as cadena humana and cadena a la fresca, is due to stretch on Saturday evening in Palma from the central square Plaça d’Espanya to the regional government’s headquarters at the Consolat de Mar According to the organisers, volunteers will collect written demands from participants and hand them to the Govern The action is being organised by neighbourhood initiatives and activist groups calling for tighter limits on visitor numbers, more checks on holiday rentals, and measures to tackle rising living and rental costs.
The background is an ongoing debate about the social and environmental burden on the islands. While the Govern describes its approach as managing supply, initiatives criticise what they see as its slow implementation and point to earlier demonstrations. Following incidents around a demonstration at the end of July, the authorities are investigating individual suspected offences; Costa referred to the remit of the police and the courts and declined to comment on details.
Two points are now central to assessing the policy: first, whether the announced quotas and restrictions are promptly put into regulations and enforced. Second, whether reliable data are published on trends in visitor numbers, occupancy of tourist accommodation and the impact of cruise and vehicle limits. These will determine whether the government can meet the expectations of both residents and tourism workers – and whether the announced extensions to Menorca and Mallorca actually take effect.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).