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As protests against overcrowding and a lack of long-term housing echo through Spain, a group of residents in Mallorca has taken a different approach, launching a platform called “We Love Tourism Mallorca” to express their gratitude to visitors and send a message of appreciation to holidaymakers.

 

In a novel move, these individuals, mostly from the capital of Palma, took to the streets before and during a recent demonstration against overcrowding, placing stickers on protest posters and handing out cards with a simple yet powerful message: “We love you.”

 

The platform, welovetourismmallorca.com, is a response to the growing hostility towards tourists that has been building in recent months. The residents behind it recognise the long-standing reliance of Mallorcans on tourism and seek to inject a dose of “common sense” into the conversation.

 

Protests have been staged up and down the country with the British media even going so far as to warn holidaymakers off travelling to Spain this summer, but many at the grassroots level insist that the reports have been blown wildly out of proportion.

 

“Closing our island to tourists is not the solution,” the website states, with one member adding that “there is no logic in biting the hand that feeds us.”

 

The Balearic Islands, like many other top tourist destinations in Spain, have been battling for years to find a happy medium between the tourist influx that feeds its economy and a peaceful existence for long-term residents.

 

Their website states, “WeLoveTourismMallorca acknowledges Mallorca’s saturation problem but firmly believes that tourists are not solely responsible and that closing our island to them is not the solution.”

 

They add, “The situation is complex with many variables, so we cannot demonise tourism alone, as it is the main engine of our islands’ economy. More parameters should be analysed and other perspectives considered. Therefore, we want to send a message of support and affection to all our visitors in light of recent demonstrations.”

 

The platform is taking a community-centric approach, inviting locals to share their insights and suggestions to address the challenges faced by Mallorca: “We invite society to share their opinions and suggestions on tackling these problems. Together, we can find a better future for all. We encourage anyone to submit proposals through this form so we can present them at the negotiation table being organised by the Balearic Government. This is a civil society initiative with no political affiliations.”

 

 

Image: welovetourismmallorca.com