So much for replacing ‘low-spending’ Brits! Mallorca sees record tourist numbers but FEWER British holidaymakers… along with a 20% DROP in bar and restaurant revenue

Mallorca has seen a 20 per cent drop in revenue from its bars and restaurants despite record numbers of visitors… after the number of Britons fell following anti-tourism protests.

The number of Britons who went on holiday to the Balearics in July was 10 percent lower than the previous month, Mallorca Daily Bulletin defeated.

Marches by anti-tourism activists took place across Spain during the summer, with locals accusing ‘low-quality’ visitors of flocking to the country, with some calling out ‘drunk’ Britons in particular.

When 50,000 Spaniards took to the streets of the Mallorcan capital Palma on July 21, some protesters held up banners reading in English: “Take back your drunks.”

But with the fall in the number of British tourists visiting Mallorca, revenue from bars and restaurants has also fallen by 20 percent. According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, this is the ‘worst case scenario’ for Mallorcans.

According to the newspaper, residents are hoping for fewer tourists who spend more, rather than more tourists who spend less. That means less income for residents who depend on the tourist industry to survive.

Three signs on a beach umbrella reading ‘stop drunk tourists’ during an anti-tourism protest in August

The words ‘Go Home Tourist’ were written in English on a wall beneath a property promotion billboard in Nou Llevant, Mallorca, an area that has seen a huge influx of foreign buyers in recent years

Activists protesting in August said they chose a beach in Palma because it is notorious for drunkenness and disorder.

It comes as hundreds of bars and restaurants in Mallorca face closure after the worst season since Covid and tourists tighten their belts.

The warning comes from the restaurant association PIMEM-Restauracion. According to the association, their members are being strangled by three essential factors: the lack of qualified personnel, the rising costs of personnel and activities and a drop in turnover.

According to Cesar Amable, the company’s chairman, higher travel and accommodation prices this summer have had an impact on the sector and other pillars of additional supply, such as trade.

“The average length of stay has become shorter and tourists’ budgets are limited, which penalizes the extraordinary expenses for the trip. This situation has ultimately led to the least profitable season in recent years, apart from the pandemic period,” he said.

Restaurant owners are now demanding that a separate hospitality agreement be drawn up, distinguishing their conditions from those of hoteliers. This is already happening at provincial level in other regions of Spain, such as La Rioja, Madrid and Guipuzcoa.

According to them, the salary increases are unaffordable for a sector whose turnover has fallen by around 20 percent this season compared to last season.

Paramedics treat a girl lying unconscious on a bench on the holiday island of Mallorca

For example, they stated that the collective labor agreement has increased personnel costs by 25.3 percent since 2018, while menu prices have increased by 10 percent over the same period.

Also in Mallorca, the number of tourists from mainland Spain visiting the island has decreased by 13 percent.

However, the decline in the number of British and Spanish tourists was offset by an increase in the number of German visitors.

This follows a summer of anti-tourism campaigns in Spain. For example, a member of the residents’ association of a village on Menorca nicknamed the ‘Spanish Mykonos’ told MailOnline earlier this year: ‘We are not against tourism, we are just against rude people.’

Malaga took a direct approach to the unruly behaviour of British tourists this summer with a campaign warning visitors to dress appropriately and respect local customs.

The Spanish city has launched a campaign, featuring 17 billboards and numerous signs, aimed at tackling behaviour that has angered locals, especially during peak season.

The signs, written in English and featuring the Union Flag, take direct aim at behaviour often attributed to British holidaymakers, reminding tourists to comply with local bylaws or risk fines of up to €750 for breaches.

The campaign, promoted by Malaga’s tourism board, highlights four main issues: inappropriate clothing, litter, excessive noise and reckless use of e-scooters.