Staff Reporter
A CIVIC organisation in Spain’s Balearics has come up with a list of proposals aimed at combating the problems being caused on the islands by excessive tourism, including a ban on foreigners buying property in Mallorca unless they are residents there.
The Forum de la Societat Civil has put together a total of 200 suggestions, based on a debate that was held at a congress last month in Palma de Mallorca.
These proposals were presented last week by Jaume Garau, the spokesperson for the forum, according to news agency Efe.
Garau suggested that before foreigners can buy property in the Balearics, they must first prove that they have resided in the community for a set number of years.
The Forum also suggested efforts to recover the historic quarters of cities for residents, given that so many are now dominated by the tourism sector.
Other suggestions include the conversion of old and obsolete hotels into housing or infrastructure for locals such as cultural, technological and healthcare facilities.
The group has also come up with the idea of a maximum number of visitors in the Mediterranean archipelago linked to the number of residents on the islands.
The ideas that sprang from the congress will be communicated to the regional government, and will also include the suggestion that civil society have better representation in the public bodies that are making decisions.
Garau also called for greater transparency from the administrations.
This year is seeing unprecedented protests in Spain calling for a change to the country’s tourism model, as locals grapple with problems such rising house and rent prices, antisocial behaviour and noise, and overcrowding of streets.
These demonstrations have so far been held in Malaga, the Canary Islands, the Balearics and Barcelona.
The protest in the Catalan capital made worldwide headlines after demonstrators squirted tourists with water pistols, taped off hotels and outdoor restaurant dining areas, and shouted slogans such as ‘Tourist go home’ at visitors.
