Motivation for introducing the tourism of excesses decree for areas of Magalluf, Playa de Palma and Arenal was partly as a response to negative images, especially those that appeared in foreign media. Pictures (and videos) paint a thousand words and all that; the authorities could not allow them to continue.
It has seemed as if negative images of a different kind - road congestion - have been the principal motivation for the Balearic government now wishing to create a pact for sustainability. There has unquestionably been a change of tone on behalf of the Partido Popular, brought about, to no small extent, by the congestion in Soller, a municipality it governs and where residents have protested and have issued an ultimatum to the town hall to sort out the parking.
It was the earliness of this congestion that attracted so much attention; early in the season, that is. In Soller, as with other parts of Mallorca subject to congestion, there is nothing new about overcrowding, just that it appears to be increasingly intense.
The government doesn't wish to rely on appearance or perception. Quite the contrary, which is why it is placing such emphasis on objective data. No measures will be announced until there are data, key to which are carrying capacities. Roads, beaches, beauty spots - they are to be analysed, starting with Es Trenc, which the Menys Turisme, Més Vida association has threatened to "collapse" (whatever this may entail) by way of protest.
Caló des Moro in Santanyi is another potential target for a collapse protest, the popularity of this cove and beach owing a great deal to Instagrammers and influencers of recent years; the same can be said for the Foradada mirador in Deya.
Formentor, Sa Calobra, Cala Varques in Manacor, Palma when the weather's iffy. All of these have had their negative images of congestion. There are others that generate less publicity, e.g. Es Comú/Capellans in Playa de Muro. And in certain cases there have been measures, such as traffic restrictions from June to September in Formentor and parking arrangements for excursions coaches in Sa Calobra.
Es Comú is an example of a beach about which there was talk of measures that never came to pass. A park and ride scheme with a shuttle bus was mentioned. It was all very well, but where would the park have been? For Es Trenc and for Cala Llombards in Santanyi, there were once such schemes. Only the Formentor shuttle bus has proved to be in any way successful.
There were no studies of carrying capacity prior to these bus schemes being introduced. Perhaps there should have been, and several participants at Wednesday's gathering for the pact for sustainability emphasised the need for data. Othman Ktiri of OK Mobility and president of Baleval car-hire association was one: "Congratulations on the initiative. It is a brave proposal and will be welcomed by residents. The process has to be calm, not rushed, and with data. The rental vehicle sector regulates itself according to the law of supply and demand."
Margalida Ramis of the environmentalists GOB took a different view: "We are surprised that they want to start from scratch with analysis and diagnosis, as this already exists."
While specific studies of capacity are welcome and make sense, there is a far broader capacity issue - that of the island as a whole. There have been calls for such a study to assess how many people and vehicles Mallorca can support at any given time. It would be a massive task, and it would take a great deal of time, and time is not on Mallorca's side.
Where is this all going? Maybe José Luis Zoreda, vice president of the Exceltur alliance of leading tourism and travel companies, summed it up: "You must have relevant data and rigorous information. We cannot grow any more in volume. It's a case of less is more, with empathy between residents and tourists. Islands that are more attractive to residents are more attractive to tourists."