29 May, 2024 @ 13:17
1 min read

TUI vows to stop expansion on the Balearic Islands after reaching ‘capacity’: UK travel agency says it will look to other destinations amid growth of ‘anti-tourism’ movement in Spain

THE CEO of TUI, Sebastian Ebel, says they have reached their ‘capacity’ on the Balearic Islands. 

They are now looking into other, less crowded Mediterranean destinations to grow including Egypt, Turkey and Algeria. 

Ebel said there was ‘no room to grow’ in terms of the number of holidaymakers, recognising the record number of tourists expected yet again this summer. 

This year, the second largest tour operator in Britain will bring around two millions tourists to the islands, five percent more than last year. 

READ MORE: ‘Historic’ anti-tourism march in Mallorca: 10,000 locals take to the streets demanding change to ‘destructive’ industry

The TUI CEO recognised Mallorca had no more room for growth.
Photo: TUI

He also recognised the complaints from locals regarding overcrowding and mass tourism. 

Ebel attributed these to the growth in holiday-lets, saying they cause ‘great challenges.’

“Putting it bluntly, the main targets of the complaints are Airbnb and similar platforms,” he said. 

READ MORE: Mallorca beach club where four people died after its roof caved in ‘did not have correct licences’

“These are not protests against tourism, but rather protests calling for responsible tourism that is also economically successful for local people.”

He claimed ‘tour packages are not the problem’, attributing the rising house prices to ‘foreigners’ who have bought properties in the area to rent them out to tourists. 

READ MORE: Spain’s ‘anti-tourism’ protests move to Mallorca: Activists plan a huge demonstration on the Balearic island 

Yzabelle Bostyn

Yzabelle Bostyn is an NCTJ trained journalist who started her journalistic career at the Olive Press in 2023.
Before moving to Spain, she studied for a BA in English Literature and Hispanic Studies at the University of Sheffield.
After graduating she moved to the university’s journalism department, one of the best in the UK.
Throughout the past few years, she has taken on many roles including social media marketing, copywriting and radio presenting.
She then took a year out to travel Latin America, scaling volcanoes in Guatemala and swimming with sharks in Belize.
Then, she came to the Olive Press last year where she has honed her travel writing skills and reported on many fantastic experiences such as the Al Andalus luxury train.
She has also undertaken many investigations, looking into complex issues like Spain’s rental crisis and rising cancer rates.
Always willing to help, she has exposed many frauds and scams, working alongside victims to achieve justice.
She is most proud of her work on Nolotil, a drug linked to the deaths of many Brits in Spain.
A campaign launched by Yzabelle has received considerable support and her coverage has been by the UK and Spanish media alike.
Her writing has featured on many UK news outlets from the Sun to the Mail Online, who contracted her to report for them in Tenerife on growing tourism issues.
Recently, she has appeared on Times Radio covering deadly flooding in Valencia.

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