Mallorca's tourism revolution is underway: Palma, the capital of the Spanish island, is promoting a dramatic reform in the guided tour industry. At its core is a drastic reduction of tour groups from 70 to just 20 participants. However, behind the numbers lies a fundamental struggle for the future of tourism on the island.
"It’s impossible," says Gabriel Rosales, president of the local tour guides association Proguias, in an interview with local media. "Groups of 19 people will make the tours unprofitable." According to him, the economic model of the island’s tourism industry is based on groups of 30-50 participants, and such a sharp limitation will force guides to dramatically raise prices.
However, the local residents see the situation quite differently. "Our ancient streets were not built for 50 tourists at once," wrote one of them on social media. "Our markets have turned into obstacle courses," added another. For them, the reform is an opportunity to restore balance to the island’s daily life.
The new requirement for guides to wear identification tags adds fuel to the fire. "Do you want to label us like animals?" Rosales angrily asks, claiming that the requirement violates privacy protection laws.
The dispute comes at a particularly sensitive time: Over the past four years, the GDP of the Balearic Islands has dropped more than any other region in Spain, while housing prices have soared by 20%. At the same time, 2024 was a record year for tourism, with a 7% increase in the number of visitors.
Tourism experts point to a global trend favoring intimate and authentic experiences, but the big challenge is the shortage of guides: No new positions have been opened on the island in 16 years. The island council has promised a recruitment campaign in 2025, but the question remains whether guides will agree to work under the new restrictions.
Meanwhile, major tourist sites, like Palma’s 800-year-old cathedral, are concerned about a decline in revenues. Mallorca’s challenge is to find the delicate balance between profitability, the quality of the tourism experience, and the quality of life for the local residents.