Positioning Majorca as a luxury destination has 'failed' – tourism chief
Harry KembleMajorca’s efforts to tackle overtourism by raising prices across the island have “failed”, Visit Palma’s managing director Pedro Homar has said, although he hopes new technologies being introduced next year could help.
Addressing WTM London, Homar conceded that positioning Majorca as a high-end destination hadn’t helped overcome overtourism, but he argued new technology solutions might.
In 2025, Majorca will invest €1.2 million in technology to manage crowds. Homar said the installation of cameras at beaches was one example of how Majorca was investing to overcome overtourism.
“We’ve tried to deal with overtourism through demand,” he said, speaking as part of a panel exploring how destinations are managing overtourism challenges. “We thought, ‘let’s market ourselves as an expensive destination’. It’s been a failure.
"We had already become a successful destination. It was a good strategy. We’re now investing money in managing tourist flows. I’m hopeful in two or three years with all these new policies coming in, things will finally happen."
He added: “If we’re able to manage the time when people go to the beach, that is going to be a good solution. If a beach becomes crowded and hits around 80% capacity, we will move people to other beaches.”
When asked how local residents are currently reacting to tourism, Homar said local residents do see “tourism as the devil”.
“We have problems with mobility, housing and schools that many residents believe have been caused by tourism,” he explained. “Tourism is being made the scapegoat. It’s seen as the common enemy.
“Once we solve these problems around mobility and housing, tourism will be viewed in a more positive light. Let’s not invent things – tourism is paying the bills.”
Homar’s comments echo those of Susanna Sciacovelli, the Majorcan Tourist Board’s director of tourism demand, who told TTG the island "lived off tourism" and that media coverage of recent anti-tourist protests risked inflaming the issue and debate.
Another panellist Matt Callaghan, easyJet holidays’ chief operating officer, questioned whether “big brands” were stepping up to reduce visitor numbers in destinations and taking sufficient action to do so.
“We took away two million people away on holiday last year,” said Callaghan. “We know that number is on us. Customers have expectations that big brands are doing the right thing. Are they? I don’t know if they are.
“We take overtourism incredibly seriously. Winning for our destinations is incredibly important.”
Callaghan highlighted how easyJet holidays had made a “clear decision” when it launched five years ago to employ on-the-ground customer support staff provided by the local destination management companies.
He revealed how 99% of these staff considered themselves to be local. “For the vast majority of our staff, to say that is really important,” he added.
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