Majorca tourism slump as anti-tourism protests hit restaurants and bars

Restaurant and bar owners across Majorca reported a sharp decline in takings this summer after a wave of anti-tourism protests that local business groups say deterred visitors and altered booking patterns.

CAEB, which represents employers in the Balearic Islands, said performance across the sector worsened from May and that it is hoping September "will save the season." The Association of Temporary Services Concessions and Operations in the Maritime-Terrestrial Public Domain of Mallorca (Adopuma) said beach bars, parasol hire companies and water-activity operators recorded a roughly 20% drop in July compared with the same month last year.

Adopuma’s president, Onofre Fornés, blamed what he described as "irresponsible negative messages against tourism" for the downturn, saying restaurants were underperforming, beach-bar takings had fallen and occupancy rates remained low into August. The association urged regional and national authorities to act quickly to cap prices, counter anti-tourism sentiment and preserve affordability for mid-budget visitors, whom it said are central to the island’s economy.

Industry leaders and local tourism officials said the protests — which erupted across the Balearics, the Canary Islands and mainland Spain earlier this year — have made some visitors feel unwelcome. Juanmi Ferrer, president of Majorca’s restaurant association, warned that the messaging of the protests was "scaring visitors away." Miguel Pérez-Marsá, head of the nightlife association, told the Majorca Daily Bulletin that the island was losing the tourists it seeks and that they were choosing other destinations.

Tensions between residents and tourists intensified through the peak season. Demonstrations included marches through Palma and other towns, sticker campaigns targeting businesses, road blockages and confrontations at hotel entrances and restaurants. Organisers in Palma staged one of the biggest mobilisations in July, when tens of thousands of people marched demanding limits on cruise ships, short-term lets and tourist numbers. Protesters in Barcelona have been recorded using water pistols on diners and applying "tourists go home" stickers to hotels and restaurants.

Some actions crossed into confrontational territory. Authorities intervened in Palma after a group surrounded diners; local reports say one protester was seen carrying an axe and police were required to disperse the crowd. Politicians condemned the violent scenes, while campaigners said the demonstrations reflected long-standing frustrations over overcrowding, rising rents and wages that have not kept pace with housing and living costs.

Business groups pointed to rising operating costs as an additional squeeze on profitability. They said increases in staff wages and the cost of goods have eaten into margins already reduced by fewer customers. With a large share of Majorca's tourism economy driven by mid-range British and European holidaymakers, industry representatives warned that even a short-term reputational hit could have knock-on effects for employment and local supply chains.

Spanish officials acknowledged that the demonstrations had affected perceptions of safety and welcome, and said the campaign was "scaring away visitors." Local industry figures cited a record level of tourism last year, reporting more than 15 million visitors to Mallorca, and said the scale of the sector’s economic footprint made any downturn a wider concern for the island’s labour market and public finances.

As the high season drew down, business associations pressed for a combination of measures to stabilise the market: interventions to limit price rises, enforcement against harassment of tourists, support for mid-budget accommodation and a public messaging campaign to reassure visitors. Some officials signalled interest in dialogue with resident groups on long-term planning, including limits on short-term holiday lets and cruise-ship calls, while warning that heavy-handed protest tactics threatened immediate economic harm.

Operators and local associations said they will monitor September bookings closely as a test of whether the island can recover lost ground before the low season. Until then, many restaurants, beach services and tour operators say the summer’s losses have forced difficult decisions about staffing, hours and investment amid uncertainty over visitor confidence and the trajectory of resident protests.