Since 2016 the Balearics – Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera – have had a Sustainable Tourism Tax, a bed night levy. There have been several campaigns to reduce plastic waste in the Balearic Islands. In 2019 IbizaPreservation launched Plastic Free Ibiza and Formentera. Save the Med introduced, Balears Sense Plàstic in Mallorca. In September 2020, Plastic Free Menorca was launched, bringing together five groups campaigning against single-use plastics. In 2021 Plastic Free Certification was introduced with a standard set of criteria for HORECA companies in the archipelago, demonstrating the sector’s united campaign against plastic. In March 2021, a new Balearic Waste Law banned single-use plastics and introduced initiatives to reduce food waste.
Speaking at FITUR Iago Negueruela, the Balearic Minister for Tourism, outlined new tourism legislation based on the principles of sustainability and circularity to provide a high quality of life for residents and workers in the tourism sector. Balearics President Francina Armengol explained: “We want to be recognised for being the first to take bold initiatives in committing to quality and occupational health.” The objective is to become the world’s first circular tourist destination, with circularity plans for all companies, “which will make us much more efficient in energy expenditure and in the consumption of a resource which is as scarce as water is.” Armengol explained that the best waste is not waste at all. Waste “must be recycled or reused”.
By 2023 around 300,000 hotel beds will have been fitted with mechanical or electrical means of being raised for cleaning and changing. These new regulations are expected to reduce work-related accidents by 35%. New regulations will enforce traceability of fish and shellfish, and restauranteurs will have to ensure that no endangered sopecies are on their menus. Regulations are being introduced to reduce carbon emissions and reduce water consumption. more Hotels will need to monitor and report on their water consumption,
We will make tourism an economic activity that has a positive impact in terms of environmental circularity and on workers. It will be innovative, and we will continue to be leaders at an international level. We will do so based on consensus and dialogue, as the Balearic government.
Francina Armengol, Balearic Islands President
Back in 2020, the government of the Balearics began to regulate alcohol consumption in all-inclusive hotels in Magalluf, Playa de Palma and Sant Antoni (Ibiza) is limited to a specific number of drinks, and alcohol cannot be purchased in stores between 21.30 and 08.00 hours. Happy hours, pub crawls and two-for-one offers have been banned and toruists on all-inclusive packages are limited to three drinks with lunch and three at dinner. There are now heavy penalities for anyone caught balconing: jumping from one balcony to another or jumping into the hotel pool. 46 cases were registered in 2019.
