Under the motto ‘Tourists welcome’, a group of entrepreneurs in Mallorca has started a counter-action against the recent anti-tourism protests. The dissent could be heard in the run-up to Sunday’s second major anti-tourism protest. ‘Mallorca has always been a hospitable island, which the inhabitants were proud of and were happy to show to the rest of the world. But today, some people are trying to destroy the image of good hospitality with empty arguments and mafia tactics,” they write on social media. The reason for the entrepreneurs’ protest is the second large demonstration against mass tourism in Mallorca this year, which took place in the center of Palma de Mallorca on Sunday. According to the police, more than 20,000 protesters marched in the otherwise peaceful march. The protest is aimed at the consequences of mass tourism, such as housing shortages and high rents because many landlords prefer to rent out at a higher price via platforms such as Booking and Airbnb. The fear of losing one’s own culture also plays a role. Trade unions that called for the demonstration are demanding a change of course in the field of tourism and higher wages. The entrepreneurs distance themselves from the protest actions, in which tourists were urged to go home. “Can you imagine being on vacation with your children and being attacked with shouting and protest signs, demanding that you leave?” The entrepreneurs say that 99 percent of Mallorca’s residents make a living from tourism. ‘And the other 1 percent are also dependent, although they don’t want to admit it. We will not tolerate demonstrations against our guests and against the way we make our money.” (Photo for illustration, Shutterstock).
