Tourist hotspots try to change image
Source: David Švihovec on Unsplash
Spain's Magaluf and Ibiza crack down on alcohol-fuelled holidays
Spain's Balearic Islands have passed a law banning pub crawls and happy hours in three popular tourist destinations in a bid to crack down on alcohol-fuelled holidays.Restrictions apply to the tourist hotspots of Playa de Palma and Magaluf in Majorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza.
The regional government said it was the first law of its kind in Europe.
Ibiza and Majorca have long been magnets for young British, German and Irish tourists.
The measures adopted on Friday are just the latest effort by authorities to try to rein in heavy drinking on the Mediterranean islands.
But some traders say the move could hurt small businesses.
What are the new measures?
The new law includes a string of measures aimed at cracking down on so-called "booze tourism", where visitors are encouraged to binge drink.
Organised pub crawls can no longer be advertised or held in Playa de Palma, Magaluf or Ibiza's West End.
The law also bans happy hours and says party boats can no longer advertise in the three areas or pick up or drop off tourists there.
Alcohol vending machines, free bars and adverts for alcoholic drinks are also forbidden, while authorities say shops selling alcohol must close from 21:30 to 08:00 (20:30 to 07:00 GMT).
The new regulations have also outlawed "balconing", where people jump from hotel balconies, often into swimming pools. The practice has been linked to a number of tourist deaths and injuries. Authorities said those caught taking part in the activity would now be forced to leave their hotel and could face fines.
Local businesses caught violating the new law could face fines of up to €600,000 (£510,000) or be shut down for up to three years.
The regional government said the law was the first in Europe to restrict the promotion and sale of alcohol in certain tourist zones.
It said the new measures would "fight excesses" and "force a real change in the tourism model of those destinations".
But some complained that the law would hurt the local economy.
"I find this exaggerated and disproportionate," Jose Tirado, president of Majorca's Tourism Services and Businesses Association, told Spain's state television.
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Comments
I don´t believe that the regional government of the Balearic Islands is going to shut down a local for up to three years or to punish fines of up to €600.000. If you go to some tourist zones you don´t know if you stay in Spain or in the Wild West, because nobody respects the law. You want to go to rest on holiday and, after three days, you are already thinking in your house and wishing to come home to rest.
I suppose that young people want to drink alcohol on holiday (this is not my case when I was young), but I think it is stupid because you could drink at your home without stop and without to spend money. Anyway, the regional government wants to stop now the monster which they have fuelled a lot of years ago. They said now that they are the first place in Europe that restricts the promotion and sale of alcohol. They said it was the first law of its kind in Europe but I would like to ask them ¿Is any government in Europe which permits pub crawls, booze tourist, binge drink, happy hours, party boats with alcohol, alcohol vending machines, balconing and so on?
If a persona died in a hotel doing balconing, the regional government should shut down this hotel and it should ban to do balconing in every hotels.
Traders find this string of measures exaggerated and disproportionate because they are going to lose clients but, sometimes, it´s on the contrary, more tourists come to enjoy their holiday peaceful.
See you.
I imagine very few residents of these towns remain there over the summer. How could they get a decent night's sleep? Every morning they would have to be careful noy to step in any remnants of the night's festivities. The smell must be overpowering in the summer.
I don´t believe that the regional government of the Balearic Islands is going to shut down a business for up to three years or to punish them with fines of up to €600.000. If you go to some tourist zones you don´t know if you are in Spain or the Wild West, because nobody respects the law. You want to rest on holiday and, after three days, you are already thinking about home and wishing to get back for some rest.
I suppose that young people want to drink alcohol on holiday (this was not my case when I was young), but I think it is stupid because you could drink as much as you like at home and without spending money. Anyway, the regional government now wants to halt the monster which they fuelled many years ago. They now say that they are the first place in Europe to restrict the promotion and sale of alcohol. They said it was the first law of its kind in Europe but I would like to ask them if there is any government in Europe which permits pub crawls, booze tourism, binge drinking, happy hours, party boats with alcohol, alcohol vending machines, balconing and so on?
If a persona died in a hotel doing balconing, the regional government should shut down this hotel and ban balconing from every hotel.
Traders find this string of measures over the top and disproportionate because they are going to lose clients but, sometimes, it´s just the contrary, more tourists come to enjoy a peaceful holiday.