Calo of Moro overcrowded: tourist rush despite warnings!

Calo of Moro overcrowded: tourist rush despite warnings!

In recent years, Mallorca has developed into one of the most popular travel destinations for German tourists. In particular, the pulsating atmosphere on the Ballermann on the Playa de Palma attracts many visitors. But the island offers much more than just beach parties. Travelers are increasingly decided to explore Mallorca independently and are looking for less known locations to escape mass tourism. Such an insider tip, the small Bay of Calo des Moro, has been overrun by a massive rush of tourists in recent months. This reports The West .

Opportunities for individual travel planning and recommendations for influencers have contributed significantly to the popularity of this bay. Originally designed for a maximum of 100 visitors, Calo des Moro now attracts up to 4,000 people every day. Mayor Maria Pons has publicly warned that this situation is intolerable and calls on the media and tour operator to refrain from reporting on the bay in the future. In order to master the rush, the local authority even removed pictures of Calo des Moro from your website.

overcrowding and protests

The overcrowding of the beach has not only alerted the local government, but also led to protests among residents. In June 2024, the demonstrations culminated when hundreds of people blocked access to the bay. The protesters turned to the public with the banner "Ocupem Les Nostres Platges" and distributed information sheets in several languages. This shows the growing frustration of the locals, which suffer from the high number of visitors. This is underpowered by Travel Tomorrow

The reaction of the Spanish authorities was comprehensive. In order to counteract this tourism trend, those responsible had previously commissioned influencers to promote unknown places. Unfortunately, this resulted in protected areas overflowing and the desired detour was not carried out. The mayor of Santanyí, Maria Pons, asked for the tour operator and the media to stop applying the beach to defuse the situation.

Environmental effects of tourism

A new study also shows the environmental impact of tourism on the island. Holidaymakers leave a significantly higher CO₂ footprint compared to locals. According to the study published by the Mallorca Preservation Foundation, the average CO₂ emissions per tourist are 11.2 tons during an eight-day stay, while the emissions of locals are only 5.8 tons. This data was confirmed by the Balearic agency for tourism strategies, such as Mallorca Magazin reported.

The study records the CO₂ pollution from different areas: 45% come from transport, 35% from energy consumption and 20% from garbage production. These environmental data throw a thoughtful light on the constantly changing tourist landscape of Mallorca. In addition, since the burden of tourism on the island increases, with an average density of over 3,300 people per square kilometer in 2022, it is clear that the challenges of mass tourism must be taken seriously.