In January 2020 just before the pandemic started the Government of the time brought in a new law to combat the tourism of excesses. Two years then passed before they could really bring this to the fore.
It was brought into the resorts of Magalluf, Arenal, Playa de Palma and San Antonio in Ibiza. In Magalluf where I’ve worked for the last 34 years, they devised a red zone map which didn’t cover the whole resort just parts of it, which at the time was questioned by me and a lot of other people. How can you have a rule that only covers half a resort? Or to put it even more bluntly, a business on one side of a road is banned from doing something that a business on the other side of the road can? Also the name itself was very negative and seemed very targeted at the British and German markets. Which happen to be the two largest source markets travelling to Mallorca. Meaning that their sheer volume is going to create an excess anyway.
I never saw a truly targeted campaign against the Spanish and their “botellón” as it’s called here. Botellón is a Spanish activity when people congregate in public areas to socialise while drinking alcohol. The activity is popular among teenagers and young adults partly in response to rising drink prices at bars or clubs, and partly because more people can meet in one place. Just in case you didn’t know.
To be honest it was all completely stupid and not workable. Now before all you keyboard warriors start, I’m all for the rules but let’s have it fair and either make it for everyone or don’t have it at all. Also there were plenty of other ways you could have improved those resorts. Policing being one of them.
So has it been a success? Well here it was no surprise that you started to see more and more people go to Palmanova the resort next to Magalluf to do their so called “excesses” and come into Magalluf later already well oiled.
In an interview in March with the then Tourism Minister Iago Negueruela, he said, “there was no going back on the law of excesses.” He claimed it had been a success and would continue to push it forward. Unfortunately for Negueruela, his Government got voted out in the May elections. So now what happens? Well the new Government was sworn in at the beginning of July so not giving it enough time to influence this season. However I read this week that the new Tourism Minister Jaume Bauzá, announced that the so-called decree against tourism excesses will be renamed “responsible tourism”, to avoid associating negative terminology with tourism in the legislation to combat anti-social behaviour.
At last someone has taken the negative and turned it to a positive. Interestingly he said that the number of tourist places under the last administration had increased by 115,000 thus creating its own “excess”. Imagine resorts that are already busy in July and August are made even busier and thus creating saturation and without doubt more anti-social behaviour. In his eyes, the so-called decree of excesses has been a failure. In order “to change this negative vision” it will become responsible tourism.
Too late for this season but it will be interesting to see what happens next year. I do hope they get rid of the red zone map so all of us in the area of Magalluf can become “responsible”. Which to be honest the majority already are. I hope we as the businesses that work in the area and have done for many years are asked for our opinions. We would be happy to help and see a thriving resort in the future.
Football news
Good to see Real Mallorca win last weekend away at Celta. That eased a few relegation worries. This weekend they’re away at Girona and don’t forget they have Barcelona at home the following Tuesday night. My two had great wins playing more a less at the same time last Saturday. Luckily for me the two pitches backed onto each other which meant I could watch both games at the same time. Jacobs team won 3-1 and Jude’s team 4-1. Jude plays Saturday and Jake plays Sunday this week so making it easier for Dad Taxi. Plus the small matter of the North London derby this weekend making it once again a very Football heavy couple of days.
Take care everybody and enjoy your weekend!