In an attempt to address the negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption among tourists, the regional government of the Balearic Islands has issued a new decree restricting the sale of alcohol in some tourist areas. There will also be action against party boats
New decree Forbidden Alcohol sales between 9:30pm and 8:00am in certain areas of Mallorca and Ibiza known as “overtourism”. In Llucmajor, Palma and Calvia (Magaluf) in Mallorca, and San Antonio in Ibiza, the sale of alcohol is strictly prohibited during these hours. In addition, party boats operating within one nautical mile of these areas are also prohibited from picking up or dropping off passengers.
The alcohol ban sparked mixed reactions. Some tourism companies have expressed criticism because they fear that tourists will now move to nearby areas that are not covered by the restrictions. On the other hand, the authorities welcome the decision as a step in the right direction to combat excessive alcohol consumption and nuisance among tourists.
This new decree follows previous legislation introduced by the Balearic Islands government in 2020 to address excessive alcohol consumption. At that time, happy hours, pub crawls, and two-for-one drink deals were already banned, and the sale of alcohol in stores was restricted between 9:30pm and 8:00am. Party boats are also no longer allowed to advertise in certain areas.
For an alcohol ban to actually work, authorities will carefully monitor compliance. Violators are subject to heavy fines under the new, tougher penalties for undesirable behavior by tourists.
More Stories
Revealing the ten countries that support Ukraine the most
Funny protest against mass tourism in Galician village
Kamala Harris has wind in her sails, but Trump can still win