Tourism - Mallorca

Question 1

Largest of Balearics - lying off east coast of Spain

Answer 1

one of the earliest European destinations to experience mass tourism in 60s

Question 2

During the 60s, increased demand for holidays away from home

Answer 2

due to improvements in living standards; introduction of paid holidays; low value of Spanish peseta compared to other European currencies. Mallorca became a popular destination

Question 3

Numbers visiting island grew rapidly - 400,000 in 1960

Answer 3

1972 - 3.5 million; 2015 - 12.5million (859,000 residents)

Question 4

Most tourist development was, and still is, centred around coastal areas, in partic Calvia in SW of island

Answer 4

Approx 1.7 million visitors per annum to Magaluf, Santa Ponsa, Palma Nova.

Question 5

Calvia (pop. 44,000) well suited to mass tourism

Answer 5

almost 60km of beaches and close to international airport in Palma

Question 6

Traditional low-income farming in Calvia

Answer 6

prospect of better paid jobs in hotels and tourist facilities - rapid increase in hotels - but little regard given to long-term impact on environment or quality of tourist experience

Question 7

Tourism brought an immediate boost to economy of Mallorca almost two-thirds employed either directly(hotels, restaurants) or indirectly (estate agents/food processing)

Answer 7

Overall 84% of Mallorca’s GNP connected to tourism

Question 8

Young, economically active population moved from rural interior to find seasonal employment in tourist areas

Answer 8

…at height of mass tourism boom in Calvia, unemployment rates about 4% lower than any other region in Spain and average family income 30% above

Question 9

NEGATIVE SOCIAL IMPACTS Mass tourism did have some disadvantages

Answer 9

Some tourist developments financed abd designed by international travel operators leaving only semi-skilled and manual jobs for locals

Question 10

NEGATIVE SOCIAL IMPACTS Work in service sector offered little opp for promotion or career advancement

Answer 10

Much of work seasonal; long, anti-social hours

Question 11

NEGATIVE SOCIAL IMPACTS by late 70s, English, Irish, German owned bars serving English/German food to cater for tourists

Answer 11

…very little traditional Mallorcan architecture or culture in coastal region; and little evidence of interaction between tourists and locals. By 80s Mallorca had acquired a negative image of packed beaches and rowdy bars and nightclubs

Question 12

NEGATIVE SOCIAL IMPACTS Traditional way of life in Mallorca affected. farmers sold land to developers who built villas out of character

Answer 12

Many of these villas sold as second homes to wealthy Northern Europeans - didn’t integrate with Mallorcans - resentment

Question 13

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Also serious environmental problems associated with uncontrolled tourism

Answer 13

Seasonal influx of tourists - heavy demand on scarce water resources - landscaping of hotel gardens, building of golf courses, swimming pools, provision of showers. Expensive desalinization of seawater

Question 14

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Water situation worse for locals who found it difficult to compete with tourist demand

Answer 14

Locals resentful of golf courses

Question 15

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Undue stress on already inadequate waste disposal systems

Answer 15

Coastal waters polluted

Question 16

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Natural coastline dramatically altered - in Calvia beaches extended by 13% in a 20 year period and sand dunes cleared for apartment blocks

Answer 16

Most of natural dune vegetation and wildlife habitats destroyed

Question 17

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Within tourist centres, landscapes altered - building of promenades/other tourist amenities

Answer 17

Increase in tour buses and other vehicles led to increased air pollution

Question 18

NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Mallorca faced a crisis in late 80s - in Calvia, tourist numbers fell by almost 20% between 1988 and 1991

Answer 18

In part due to other tourist destinations eg Florida and the Caribbean but also due to decline in quality of Mallorca’s tourism product. This highlights the lack of sustainability in Mallorca’s tourism development. Local residents faced an increase in unemployment and a fall in living standards

Question 19

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) emphasized importance of implementing sustainable practices through local level projects - Local Agenda 21 (LA21). In Mallorca, Calvia formulated its own LA21 programme for sustainable tourism. Lines of action and initiiatives from LA21 included:

Answer 19

Building clearance plan; compulsory purchase of land to prevent further construction and demolition of five hotels
Upgrading quality of tourist accommodation to attract a higher-end clientele

Question 20

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA LA21

Answer 20

Upgrading physical environment in Magaluf and Palma Nova with pedestrian zones, green zones and planting
Constructing 32km of cycleways and walkways

Question 21

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA LA21

Answer 21

Imposing strict planning regulations on all new building projects regarding density of occupancy, waste disposal and energy conservation
Launching campaigns to raise awareness of conservation of water and energy

Question 22

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA LA21

Answer 22

Introducing schemes to direct tourism away from coast into activities such as hill walking, cycling and golfing

Question 23

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA LA21

Answer 23

Implementing measures to minimize erosion of beaches - reducing need for beach nourishment; removing need to dredge off-shore and damage marine ecosystems

Question 24

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA LA21

Answer 24

Charge an eco-tax in hotels to generate income for environmental protection measures
Introduce a system of eco-labels for hotels and other tourist facilities - awarded to establishments which adhered to energy conservation guidelines
Involve local communities in planning through a Citizen’s Forum

Question 25

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA ACHIEVEMENTS Many positive outcomes from Mallorca’s tourism management policy

Answer 25

Calvia region modernised and built environment enhanced and landscaped
Many hotels upgraded from 3 to 4 or 5 star to attract wealthier tourists

Question 26

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA ACHIEVEMENTS

Answer 26

Tourist numbers increased following modernization programme and tourist season extended beyond peak winter months
Marked increase in range of activities - golf, walking, cycling

Question 27

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA ACHIEVEMENTS

Answer 27

Greater emphasis on recreational activities for children - encouraged more families to come to Mallorca.

Question 28

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA ACHIEVEMENTS

Answer 28

Environmental protection schemes such as coastal defences and building regulations have operated successfully in most cases

Question 29

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA SETBACKS

Answer 29

Eco tax, which was to be used to fund environmental schemes, faced strong opposition and was dropped within a year

Question 30

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA SETBACKS

Answer 30

Calvia, particularly Magaluf has retained its image as a destination for young English and German tourists seeking cheap accommodation, alcohol nightclubs, fast food. A number of anti-social behavior incidents and the death of three tourists in 2014 prompted local authorities to take action. Consumption of alcohol banned on streets between 10pm and 8am. Also restrictions on pub crawls.

Question 31

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA SETBACKS

Answer 31

240 million Euro invested in Magaluf and adjoining Palma Nova to improve infrastructure and construct up-market restaurants and bars

Question 32

TOURISM MGMT IN MALLORCA SETBACKS

Answer 32

persistent negative image of Magaluf has prompted planners to avoid any reference, preferring to use Calvia instead.
A new eco-tax of 2 Euros per visitor re-instated in 2016, with aim of reducing numbers coming to island. (Similar - Barcelona)

Question 33

MALLORCA TOURISM SUMMARY Mallorca aptly demonstrates the potential negative social and environmental impacts which can result from mass tourism

Answer 33

The mgmt. policies introduced have brought about environmental improvements and tourism has been extended away from cast across entire region.

Question 34

MALLORCA TOURISM SUMMARY

Answer 34

Considerable involvement of local people in decision making process on developments. This stands in marked contrast to some of earliest developments - international tour operators.

Question 35

MALLORCA TOURISM SUMMARY

Answer 35

Upgrading and rebranding schemes aimed at a higher spending tourist is an increasingly popular strategy. However, still many English and German bars and restaurants and limited social integration between locals and tourists.

Question 36

MALLORCA TOURISM SUMMARY

Answer 36

Finally, important to realise that tourism is a dynamic industry. Terror attacks, eg Tunisia (2015), Nice (2016) have redirected tourists to perceived ‘safe’ locations including Spain and the Balearics.

Question 37

MALLORCA TOURISM SUMMARY

Answer 37

Am estimated 13 million tourists visited Mallorca in 2016, up 2m from 2015. In addition, increase in number of cruise ship visitors, with 524 ships docking in Palma in 2016. On one day alone, over 20,000 cruise ship passengers disembarked to spend a day in Palma and surroundings. These increased visitor numbers bring short term economic gain but also present renewed challenges to the island and to those responsible for its management.