2024 was a year of extremes for Mallorca. While the island shone with new tourism records, a different picture emerged behind the scenes: congested streets, overflowing garbage containers and Mallorcans who only look at their own island with a frown. It was a year that made many people think - or should have.
Record tourism - but at what cost?
With over 12.8 million visitors up to October alone, 2024 was a year of superlatives. But where streams of visitors flow, there is little room for peace and quiet:
- Crowded beaches: When you have to fight for your towel, even Playa de Palma feels like a festival site - only without music, but with garbage.
- Congested roads: From the coastal road to the Serra de Tramuntana - the traffic jam was as omnipresent as the Sangría bucket on the beach in 2024.
- Quality of life? The locals have long understood that the supposed "golden age" of mass tourism often only means one thing: stress in everyday life.
You could say that Mallorca has become a victim of its own success. But how long can the island keep it up?
Apartmentnot: The island without space
Living space on Mallorca is as scarce as shady spots in midsummer.
- Horrendous rents: In Palma, you can easily pay 15 euros per square meter - and if you're lucky, the balcony isn't just a romantic idea in the exposé.
- Gentrification in the fast lane: While more and more vacation apartments and luxury properties are being built, young families and pensioners are struggling to find affordable housing.
- Locals in the queue: The question of where to live is no longer a theoretical one - for many, it is becoming an everyday challenge.
Climate crisis: Mallorca sweats and thirsts
In 2024, climate change on the island showed its most oppressive side:
- Heat waves: Temperatures above 40 degrees turned the summer into a survival adventure.
- Lack of water: With empty reservoirs and rationing in some regions, Mallorca is now an island where you think twice about watering the flowers.
- Garbage and plastic: From the bays to the mountain paths - the island is literally choking on the legacy of mass tourism.
How much longer?
It sounds harsh, but 2024 has shown that Mallorca has reached a point where "business as usual" is no longer an option. But what to do?
- Rethinking tourism: How about fewer guests who stay longer and appreciate more value? A little quality instead of quantity could work wonders.
- Living space for the Mallorcans: State-subsidized projects could create affordable housing and alleviate social pressure.
- Not just preaching sustainability: Less plastic, more protection for nature, more efficient use of water - the list is long and time is pressing.
An appeal with a twinkle in the eye
Mallorca is much more than a paradise for beach vacationers and all-inclusive fans. It is an island with history, culture and a zest for life that needs to be preserved. But 2024 has shown that this balance is out of kilter. The island needs fewer records and more respect - for its nature, its inhabitants and its identity.
Perhaps the time has come for 2025 to be the beginning of a new era. An era in which not only tourists are happy, but also those who call Mallorca their home. Because in the end, the island is there for everyone - or at least it should be.
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