The Balearics seek an answer to overtourism

(Binibeca Vell) Every year, nearly 800,000 tourists parade through the streets of Binibeca Vell, a small village in Menorca stuck in a cove with turquoise waters. For 200 inhabitants, “that’s a lot”, judges Oscar Monge, who would like a little more “calm”.

Nicknamed the “Spanish Mykonos” for its resemblance to the famous Greek island, this hamlet with white houses decorated with flowers has become over the years one of the main attractions of the Balearic archipelago, a mecca for tourism in the Mediterranean.

A boon for tour operators, who highlight the “magical” appearance of the place, born from the imagination of the Catalan architect Francisco Barba Corsini, but a source of annoyance for some of the residents, faced with problems of ‘incivility.

“Everyone wants to come and take their picture here,” says Mr. Monge, president of the association of owners of this private residential complex built in 1972. “We have nothing against tourism,” but “we sometimes have it feels like Disneyland,” he sighs.

Behind him, a sign calls on visitors to “respect” and “silence”. “We put them everywhere”, because “some tourists put their feet on the walls, climb on the terraces” or even “open the doors to see who lives inside”, explains the fifty-year-old.

“Unhappiness”

To reduce nuisance, the co-owners recently decided to limit access to the alleys from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. And on August 15, a more radical solution will be put to the vote of residents: purely and simply prohibiting the site to visitors.

In the village, this offensive is debated. “That there are restrictions is a good thing, but if they completely close the village, it will have a negative impact on businesses,” judges Maria Neyla Ramirez, manager of the El Patio restaurant, who calls for “a little flexibility.

An opinion shared by many tourists. For “the people who live here, I understand that it’s special. But finally, it’s tourism […] We like to see beautiful things,” explains Jean-Marie Bassut, 66, from the southwest of France.

For Oscar Monge, these remarks are legitimate. But “we cannot have coaches, coaches and coaches” of tourists arriving “without any regulation”, insists the manager of the co-ownership, who hopes to raise awareness.

Binibeca Vell, in fact, is not alone in being affected by overtourism in the archipelago. The Balearic Islands received 17.8 million foreign and Spanish tourists last year, a record. And attendance should increase further this year.

“The Balearic Islands have reached their limit,” recognized the president of the region, Marga Prohens (People’s Party), at the end of May, deeming it necessary to take into account “social unhappiness” in order to make tourism “compatible with the lives of the people. residents “.

” Not to sell ”

At the end of May, several thousand people demonstrated on the three main islands of the archipelago (Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza) to demand more effective measures against overtourism. With a slogan: “our islands are not for sale”.

Among the points of tension are noise pollution, road congestion, pollution, but also and above all the price of housing, which has jumped in recent years, many apartments having been transformed into tourist rentals.

In response to this exasperation, several measures were announced by the authorities, such as the ban on the sale of alcohol in stores after 9:30 p.m. and its consumption in the street (except on bar terraces) in several towns in Majorca. and Ibiza.

In Palma de Mallorca, the town hall is also considering banning new tourist rentals and limiting the reception of cruise ships. And in Ibiza, the rules governing “party boats” (boats used as party venues) could be tightened.

Saying it is aiming for long-term solutions, the regional government has created a committee of experts responsible for developing a “road map” for the archipelago. A delicate exercise in a region with 45% of tourism, but deemed necessary by many elected officials and residents.

“It’s good that tourists come to enjoy our natural paradises,” judges Joaquin Quintana, a 51-year-old Menorcan, contemplating the cove with calm waters of Binibeca. “But it’s also important to find a balance.”