On the heels of Barcelona’s Mayor Jaume Collboni and Valencia’s María José Catalá saying measures to additional restrict cruise passengers from disembarking within the metropolis to ease congestion and over-tourism, the mayor of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, has introduced the town council can be looking for to do the identical.
On Could 29, 2024, Mayor Jaime Martinez unveiled a collection of proposals aimed toward mitigating the affect of mass tourism on Palma, the capital metropolis of the Balearic Islands positioned on the island of Mallorca. Central to his plan is a partial ban on cruise ships to both restrict the variety of cruise ships or to permit solely cruise ships who house port in Mallorca, located within the Mediterranean Sea.
As reported by the Majorca Every day Bulletin, the mayor stated an important think about easing over-tourism is to “regulate, restrict, or prohibit the arrival of sure cruise ships, and allow solely small and medium-sized ones.”
He went on so as to add, “We additionally suggest limiting the variety of cruise ships or permitting solely those who have Palma as their house port.”
The mayor additionally recommended implementing two new taxes, just like these just lately underway in Venice, Italy, that may cost a tourism tax to cruise passengers. One can be an arrival payment into port and one other can be a payment to enter the town, doubtlessly double-taxing passengers on ships that decision on Palma.
Moreover, Martinez emphasised the necessity for a revision of garbage costs throughout all ports, limiting rental vehicles within the metropolis, limiting or banning “social gathering boats,” cracking down on unlawful lodging leases and banning new rental locations, and limiting the scale of vacationer teams and guided excursions to scale back the pressure on native infrastructure.
Mayor’s Proposal Faces Opposition
The mayor’s proposal follows the current announcement from Palma that authorities are transferring ahead with a renewal of cruise restrictions in place since Could 2022.
The present partial ban limits the variety of visiting vessels to a every day cap of three, with just one ship allowed to hold over 5,000 passengers. The Committee on Tourism, Commerce, Employment, Tradition, and Sport submitted a proposal to the town council and the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) final week. If permitted, the settlement will transfer discussions to the Worldwide Cruise Line Affiliation (CLIA) for an extension.
Nevertheless, Mayor Martinez’s proposal goals to additional prohibit cruise ships and passengers. Following his announcement, Spain’s far-right political social gathering, Vox, and three extra opposing events voted down the measures on Could 30, claiming they weren’t consulted.
A spokesperson for Vox stated the ban on mega-cruise ships is opposite to its insurance policies. “We dwell from tourism,” the spokesperson informed the Majorca Every day Bulletin. “With out it, the younger individuals would to migrate. Earlier than taking measures, we have to be democratic. There have to be consensus or there could also be many repercussions.”
Though the proposed measures and particulars must be addressed by a number of events and organizations, Mayor Martinez stated, “they are going to be carried out.”
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Palma’s summer season season is underway and between June and August, the port will welcome almost 250 calls, lots of them mega-cruises, together with Royal Caribbean’s 5,602-passsenger Oasis of the Seas and Norwegian Cruise Line’s 4,270-passenger Norwegian Escape.
At the moment AIDA Cruises’ AIDAcosma house ports in Palma de Mallorca and has 36 cruises scheduled between June and August. The ship has a capability to carry 6,654 passengers and 1,500 crew members.
