A popular Spanish island frequented by British vacationers is making plans to limit the number of visitors during the peak summer months.
As part of a new agreement, the picturesque city of Palma in Mallorca will reduce the daily cruise ship berths from 8,500 to 7,500 between June and September starting from 2027 to 2029. This move aims to decrease the volume of passengers disembarking to explore the Spanish city.
While the ship berths will stay at 8,500 outside the summer season, the reduction of 1,000 berths during the high travel period will impact holidaymakers arriving in Palma via cruises. Last year, over 19 million British tourists traveled to Spain, with Mallorca alone attracting more than 2 million UK visitors.
The summer restrictions in Palma are scheduled to end in 2029, but the partnership involving the Balearic Government, Palma City Council, and 20 cruise lines will remain in effect until 2031. The collaboration is designed to regulate cruise activities and safeguard the city’s interests, particularly in the historic center.
Under the new arrangement, only three cruise ships will be allowed to dock in the Port of Palma each day, with a maximum of one vessel carrying over 5,000 passengers permitted daily. This initiative follows concerns about overtourism in the region, which could lead to renewed protests from residents this summer.
In past years, thousands of Spanish locals have protested against the unsustainable tourism growth, expressing dissatisfaction with the Balearic Government’s sustainability efforts and uncontrolled overcrowding on the islands. A statement released earlier this year before a demonstration emphasized the need for grassroots action to address the overtourism issue in Mallorca.
Tourist arrivals to the Balearic Islands have continued to rise, reaching 18.7 million in 2024 and surpassing 19 million the following year. With a local population of around 1.2 million, including approximately 18,000 British expats, the region faces mounting challenges from tourism pressures.
In an effort to combat overtourism, the opposition party PSOE proposed limiting annual visitor numbers to 17.8 million in the Balearic parliament. However, the proposal was rejected earlier this year.
