Up to eight establishments in Magalluf and Playa de Palma are facing possible closures for infractions against the Decree Law on Excessive (booze) Tourism, approved by the Balearic Parliament at the beginning of this year.
At a press conference on Wednesday, the Minister for Tourism, Iago Negueruela, reported on the results of the meeting of the Commission for the Promotion of Civility in tourist areas.
At the meeting, they analysed the course of the tourism season in the Balearics as well as the actions which have been carried out on the basis of the Decree Law.
The minister stressed that these eight establishments in Mallorca - four in Magalluf and four in Playa de Palma - have already been served with precautionary closure notices, with four of them already effective. It now remains to be seen whether these closures will be definitive. He also indicated that 90 warnings have been issued.
Negueruela said it is “obvious” that there will continue to be images that “none of us would like to see”, but it is also “true that action is being taken”.
The spokesperson for the government stressed that the Decree has been in place for two months: “It is difficult to stop practices dating back 30 years in just two months”.
“The regulations are effective and are accompanied by heavy fines”, he stressed.
Apart from thanking the different administrations present at the meeting, he underlined everyone’s interest in combating excessive booze tourism and continuing to work with the Balearics as a major holiday destination, in which they want to eradicate different forms of tourism in some areas.
This was the first meeting to test the development of the Decree Law against Excessive Tourism. Negueruela insisted that what is “important” is the coordination of the different administrations, whose common objective “is the same”.
In Negueruela’s words, it is a law that aims to “banish a series of practices and a specific type of tourism on which action must be taken”.
“Today’s balance sheet is positive, but it remains to be seen how the season ends. We are going to act forcefully because our destination has already said enough is enough to a type of tourism,” he said.
The mayor of Calvià, Alfonso Rodríguez, explained that the Law on Excessive Tourism has led to 27 fines being imposed in Magalluf in relation to party boats, non-compliance with opening hours, degrading treatment of women and balconing.
The four precautionary closures of establishments in Magalluf have been issued for exceeding the hours of the sale of alcohol and degrading treatment of women.
“The area must understand that we are going to be forceful in the application of the decree to improve the destination,” he added.
Joana Maria Adrover, Palma City Council’s councillor for Citizen Safety, confessed that she was “very satisfied” with this decree against excessive tourism.
Adrover explained that the four proposed closures in Playa de Palma are to premises for selling alcohol outside the established hours and for selling it to minors.
Finally, the minister for tourism announced that at the end of the summer there will be more sanctions and closures because this is a process of transformation that “will not stop”.