An advertised package of guided tours to Mallorca’s “hidden beaches” has sparked backlash from campaign group Illes en Resistencia, which says the growing promotion of secluded coves is placing increasing pressure on the island’s coastline and local communities.
The excursions, listed on TripAdvisor, offer visitors the chance to discover lesser-known beaches across the island for around €44. Activists criticised the tours on social media, questioning whether previously quiet natural areas were now being commercially exploited for mass tourism.
In a strongly worded post, the group warned that the trend risked transforming once peaceful spots into overcrowded attractions. Members argued that residents were increasingly being pushed out of places they had traditionally enjoyed away from tourist hotspots and social media exposure.
Illes en Resistencia said the promotion of hidden coves online was contributing to the erosion of Mallorca’s identity and accelerating pressure on fragile coastal environments that had so far escaped intensive tourism development. The group accused authorities and businesses of “selling the island” to visitors with little connection to local culture or conservation.
The campaigners have called for greater controls on tourism promotion and visitor numbers, asking whether the situation can still be reversed. Their intervention has reignited wider debate in the Balearic Islands over sustainable tourism, environmental protection and the growing tensions between residents and the tourism industry.