As summer looms near, the Balearic Islands of Spain are making changes and cracking down on public drinking and party boats, or “excess tourism.” It was recently reported that Amsterdam in the Netherlands is fighting against young, drunken British tourists. Other cities in various European countries are reporting and fighting what they term overtourism. Read on to find out more about the measures now being taken in the Balearic Islands to ban public partying.

Balearic Islands of Spain cracking down on partying

Certain popular areas in the Balearic Islands are known for hundreds of tourists, drinking in the streets and generally making mayhem. Moreover, headlines are made each summer of tourists falling from balconies on the islands.

While some might think Spain’s islands are acting like spoilsports, there is a major problem in the Balearic Islands relating to mass public drinking and noisy party boats. The problem was first addressed in a 2020 decree against excess tourism, but now more measures are needed to crack down.

The latest rules ban drinking in the streets of popular tourist areas in Mallorca and Ibiza. The only exception is for bar terraces and other licensed spaces. Meanwhile, ignoring the rules can be expensive, as fines will range from €500 to €1,500 ($540 to $1,615).

In other rules, party boats that sell alcohol on board will be prohibited from being within one nautical mile of the locations included in that decree. Moreover, disembarking and boarding passengers will also be prohibited from the affected areas.

‘Excess tourism’ revised to ‘responsible tourism’

While the original 2020 decree was against “excess tourism,” officials have softened the language in favor of a new term, “responsible tourism.” In the update, it is acknowledged that the original term was counter to the Balearic Island’s main industry, as tourism represents more than 45 percent of the islands’ GDP.

Meanwhile, the islands of Mallorca and Ibiza have long been known as nightlife hubs for young travelers and international celebrities. The original 2020 decree came following media reports of “uncivil behavior in certain tourist areas of Ibiza and Mallorca, largely fueled by alcohol consumption. Meanwhile, this negative behavior has badly affected the destinations’ image and led to a nightlife scene that badly affected residents.

Moreover, noting that serious injuries and deaths have occurred due to the drunken partying, the decree read:

Year after year news has appeared related to uncivil behavior by young tourists that has caused deep concern among the rest of the citizens, in the hotel sector and in the administrations involved.

According to CTV News, the original decree outlined various measures, including the sale and advertising of alcoholic beverages, and other measures to curb dangerous or disruptive behavior.

Under the newly modified “Responsible Tourism Decree,” €16 million (around $17.2 million) has been allocated from a sustainable tourism tax to help affected tourism areas to finance projects to encourage responsible tourism.

However, the Balearic Islands are not the only area fighting against excessive tourism. Residents in the Canary Islands of Spain blame tourists for pricing them out of their homes. They also protest against environmental damage caused by tourist numbers rising from 11.5 million each year, to 16 million over the last decade.