During the Coronavirus pandemic there have been numerous implementations of rules to restrict the spread of the virus and to ensure people’s safety. These rules which have been implemented in response to COVID-19 have generally restricted people’s movements and actions. One area which has been implementing restrictions on people’s behaviour long before the Pandemic arrived is Magaluf, a resort on the island of Majorca in Spain.
The restrictions that Magaluf has implemented started as a 5-year transformation plan in 2015 as a hope to create a less rowdy class of tourists who visit the area. This transformation plan is seen as a controversial trade-off between a more family-friendly environment on the one hand and tourist's income and support on the other.
The Tourist Destination of Magaluf
Magaluf is a popular tourist destination which welcomes tourists with alluring beaches, heavenly seafood and top-rated hotels. In addition to these incredible tourist offerings, Magaluf is known famously as the 'party capital' of Majorca. With over fifty bars and five nightclubs, it has been the perfect destination for many stag parties, hen celebrations and pub crawls. Magaluf and the party environment that it provides for many tourists has even been nicknamed as a 'Disneyland for adults'. Yet, regardless of the attractive nickname given to Magaluf, many problems have arisen from the arrival of rowdy tourists over the years.
The Adoption of Controversial Laws in Magaluf
The party culture that resides with the tourist destination has ultimately led to its downfall and the adoption of strict prevention measures. Magaluf started establishing a new set of rules in 2015 to discourage tourists from causing intoxicated havoc around the area. These rules were adopted in order to transform the resort into a more upmarket and family-friendly destination. These restrictions came in the form of more than 60 new rules that prohibit boisterous behaviour and carry various fines. Some examples of the strict rules include the prohibition on activities such as pub crawls, alcohol vending machines and happy hours. Another activity which has been prohibited by the rules includes balconing, where people dangerously jump from hotel balconies into swimming pools. This activity has led to numerous tourist's deaths and can now lead to a fine between £500 and £1300.
One new rule which was implemented, and which has received a considerable amount of backlash is that of limiting music noise in establishments to under 60 decibels. A sound of 65 decibels is equivalent to laughter or to the noise that a hairdryer makes. Due to this limitation, many performers have lost work as bars no longer see the need for music which will automatically be shut down.
Although these restrictions are geared towards a genuine concern of disorderly behaviour, some prohibitions which have been established are deemed to be somewhat controversial in the surrounding communities. These rules have been deemed controversial as it pushes much needed tourism to other destinations. Alfonso Rodriguez Badal, the mayor of Calviá which is the municipality on the island of Majorca, stated that "he has to support the Balearic government's tough stance against anti-social behaviour in the context of the coronavirus pandemic". The pandemic is said to have come as an opportunity for the town to continue with their efforts to succeed in transforming the type of tourists who visit Magaluf. In an effort to ensure Coronavirus protocols are complied with, a closure period of two months has been established in the area. This closure order could be implemented for a long time beyond the pandemic as part of the procedures to create a safer and more orderly environment.
Regardless of the benefits that the rules may bring for improving the disorderly behaviour that has been present in Magaluf, business owners in the area are devastated at the income and customers that they will be losing, especially after the lockdown measures that have been in place. Business owners should be worried about the decrease in tourism as one in eight jobs in the area depends on it.
Condemnation of the new rules came from Josè Tirado, the president of Acotur, a tourism association in Colombia, who stated that "It is a barbarity, an arbitrary decision, which is outside common sense and the rule of law. We unanimously respect the issue of COVID, but establishments cannot be closed due to a public order altercation on the public road". There is a definite trade-off that the tourist destination of Magaluf will make. On the one hand there is an unmistakable reliance on the income and the job creation that tourists bring, however, on the other hand this reliance on rowdy tourism has increased environmental unsustainability and costs for the area.
In response to the backlash against the harsh rules, a spokesperson for the government stated that "the law aims to create a more sustainable and respectful tourism model, in terms of the environment, the quality of life for residents and the visitor experience". But it is still questioned if a more sustainable and respectful tourism model is worth the loss of business and income that the rowdy tourists do bring.
The Impact of Restrictions
The impact that the restrictions have had is noticeable. The number of disorderly tourists that visited the area during 2015 to 2019 has decreased from 10 000 tourists a day to around 5000. However, this impact from the restrictions implemented in 2015 was short-lived as tourists flooded the destination after Spain's lockdown ended. This influx of tourists further created the recent two-month closure period of the area.
The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and the impact of the implemented restrictions in 2015 could have dire effects on the GDP of the area, as less and less tourists travel to the popular destination. The implications from the pandemic and the recent loss of major tourism could however sway the minds of the authorities to continue on their journey to transform the area with the controversial rules, and to allow rowdy tourists in order to create much needed income for Magaluf.
A list highlighting the new rules which Magaluf has implemented in a desire to transform the tourism model to cater for a more respectful and sustainable environment can be found here.
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