The Soller Valley has seen a huge decline in tourist numbers after a wave of anti-tourism protests across Spain – with some residents now worried that the message landed too hard
Locals in a Spanish town have confessed they’ve “scared tourists away” following anti-overtourism demonstrations that sparked a dramatic drop in visitor numbers.
The Soller Valley on Majorca has relied on tourism as its economic backbone for decades, with hotels, bars and restaurants creating employment and attracting sunseekers.
Yet the town, mirroring much of Spain, has witnessed mounting frustration with the tourism sector, with overseas holidaymakers getting the blame for soaring house prices, rising antisocial conduct and overstretched public services. It comes after a warning to Brit tourists planning all-inclusive holidays to Spain.
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Protests sweeping Spain have seen tourists urged to “go home”, but some Soller Valley locals now fear their message has been too effective. One hotelier told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: “We’ve scared the tourists away. I wouldn’t want to spend my holidays in a place where I don’t feel welcome.”
A server at a tourism-dependent local eatery revealed the area had battled to pull in the visitor numbers of bygone years. They said: “Except on weekends or rainy days, there’s not much going on here; we’re just waiting around, and it’s been like this since May.”
Official statistics support this sentiment, with Majorcan authorities confirming a decline in tourist arrivals throughout the Balearic Islands after multiple major anti-tourism rallies. According to the Mallorca Hotel Business Federation (FEHM), areas like Soller are witnessing significant drops in visitor numbers, whilst the Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that representatives from hotels, restaurants and transport companies have all noted reduced tourist numbers.
Pedro Oliver, who heads the College of Tour Guides, revealed his tour bookings have plummeted by 20% this summer, with Valldemossa, Palma, and Port Soller bearing the brunt of the decline.
He explained: “The anti-tourism messages are resonating. If you generate negative news, which has repercussions in other countries, tourists opt for other destinations when choosing their holidays.
“We are sending the message that we don’t want tourists and that everything is too crowded.”
Juanmi Ferrer, who leads the Restaurants Association in Mallorca (CAEB), has cautioned that dwindling visitor numbers could force eateries across the island to shut their doors permanently this year.
Certain regions are experiencing customer drops of up to 40%, and in an extraordinary step, restaurants in typically bustling tourist hotspots like Soller are allowing staff to take time off during what should be the busiest period.
Back in June, around 10,000 protesters marched through Palma’s streets demanding an end to the region’s “touristification”.
Demonstrators pressed local officials to tackle tourism’s impact more effectively whilst simultaneously urging potential holidaymakers to choose alternative destinations.