There have been recent post on social media by Mallorca residents complaining about the number of cycle tourists clogging up the roads in Mallorca, in particular in the Tramuntana mountains. However, today, the Balearic Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Jaume Bauzá, has argued that cycle tourism is ‘an opportunity’ to extend the season and bring benefits to inland villages, in the face of criticism from left wing MÉS per Mallorca that this form of tourism ‘brings the whole island to a standstill’.
During Tuesday’s plenary session of the Government’s question time, Bauzá emphasised that cycle tourism “is not a problem”, but rather an “opportunity”, and accused the eco-sovereignists of “having a problem with tourists and not with ‘cyclists’”. MÉS MP Marta Carrió criticised the minister, stating that this type of tourism “clogs up every corner of the island all year round”, with residents “struggling to get by” due to overcrowding, amongst other issues.
The debate over cycle tourism has been raging for years. In January, the El Pi party called for an ‘urgent’ plan to improve cycle paths and routes across the island in a motion presented during a plenary session of the Council of Mallorca. El Pi wants the council to promote the improvement of the cycle routes used by cyclists on the island, with the aim of increasing safety, organising pending actions and responding to an increasingly present reality on Mallorca’s roads.
The regionalist party pointed out that Mallorca is a land deeply linked to cycling, both because of its sporting tradition – with historical and current figures of the highest level in all disciplines – and because of the large social base that practises it. In general, El Pi pointed out that there are more than 110 active cycling clubs in the Balearics and thousands of people who practise this sport on a regular basis, to which must be added more than 150,000 cycle tourists who visit Mallorca every year.
And, cycling tourism has, once again, been the sector underpinning the early opening of hotels throughout the Bay of Alcudia this year with both the hotel accommodation and the complementary services in Playa de Muro having made a strong commitment to specialising in this segment. The construction of bicycle garages and repair areas, indoor swimming pools and a wide range of specialist shops offering everything needed for cycling have been a constant feature in the tourist centre of Muro in recent years.
The highlight for the arrival of this type of tourist is the Mallorca 312 cycling event, taking place on 25 April, one of Europe’s most important cycle tours, in which more than 8,500 cyclists took part last year, with places selling out in a matter of seconds. The Playa de Muro Hotel Association welcomes this increase in the number of hotels open in April.
“It is very positive for everyone, as it means the activation of not only the hotel sector, but also restaurants, shops and all complementary services. And this translates into a greater number of employees and their corresponding contribution to social welfare,” said the business association chaired by Pepe Luna.