Mass Tourism in Mallorca, I
Vocabulary
| crowd | alone (2) | disgorge (2) |
| pack | shoot up | spread out |
| locals | lucrative | income stream |
| protest | in general | exploitation |
| afford | resident | acceptable |
| rent | generate | stream (2) |
| income | shortage | lead/led/led |
| critical | nuisance | accommodation |
| mass | share (3) | mass tourism |
| fine (2) | criticism | sustainable |
| involve | cut back | legislation |
| illegal | achieve | threat (2) |
| enable | penalty | platform (3) |
| decide | level (3) | balance (3) |
Video: Mass Tourism in Mallorca
Transcript
Everyday in Palma de Mallorca alone, planes disgorge thousands of tourists who spread out across the island.
They pack the hotels and cafes and crowd on to the beaches.
Many locals are unhappy now with what was once a welcome income stream. They don’t feel at home anymore, and protest about the exploitation of the island.
Francisco, Palma de Mallorca Resident: “The center of Palma is becoming too expensive. Not only the center, but the island in general. It’s become too expensive.”
Maria Luisa, Palma de Mallorca Resident: “I don’t know where I’ll go after September. I can’t find anything I can afford. I can’t pay more than six-hundred euros (€600) because I don’t earn enough.
Tourism is good: it generates money and people can work. But it’s not acceptable if locals cannot afford rents.”
A lot of owners prefer renting out to tourists — it’s more lucrative. But that’s led to a shortage of affordable accommodation. Rents here have shot up forty percent (40%) inside of five years.
Biel Barcelo, Balearic Islands Minister of Tourism: “Citizens are increasingly critical of the nuisance that mass tourism can generate. And we share that criticism in the government.
We’re working to achieve sustainability and balance.”
That also involves new legislation, threatening a forty thousand euro fine for anyone illegally renting an apartment out to tourists.
Platforms like Airbnb face penalties of ten times that if they enable illegal rentals.
The Spanish have decided to cut back tourism back to what they see as acceptable levels.
Questions
1. Many people visit Mallorca. True or false? What do they do?
2. Is everyone happy that many tourists have come?
3. What is the main compliant of many locals?
4. “I don’t know where I’ll go after September.” What did the resident mean by this?
5. Have rents in Palma gone up dramatically? Why have they shot up?
6. The local government has become involved. Is this right or wrong? What have they done?
7. What do (most) people feel is the solution?
A. Many tourists visit my city or country. Yes or no? If yes what do they do?
B. Is there “mass tourism” in your country?
C. Have you visited places that were packed with tourists? Have you been to places that were overcrowded?
D. Do businesses, residents and the government want more, less or the same amount of tourists? Is everyone in agreement?
E. What will happen in the future?
F. What is the “solution” to mass tourism?
