Baleares clamp down on drunken antics: No more booze on the beach
The Balearic government has implemented a ban on the consumption of alcohol in public spaces, affecting the islands renowned for being hotspots for German and British tourists. Starting Saturday, May 11, carrying an open beer can on the beach or city streets could lead to fines ranging between 500 to 1500 euros.
8:32 AM EDT, May 11, 2024
Spanish authorities have aimed to tackle "alcohol tourism" with a series of measures for some time. The regional government's latest legislative package seeks to bolster regulations introduced in 2020, signaling to Britons planning a leisure trip to the Balearics that "the party is over," as highlighted by the BBC.
Where group drinking in public was already prohibited, the rules didn't specify a cap on group sizes. Four years on from those initial regulations, the authorities have now decided to tighten these rules further.
Areas well-known for their lively nightlife, such as Playa de Palma and Magaluf on Mallorca and Sant Antoni on Ibiza, are set to experience more tranquility. The new law also introduces stricter rules for party boats, aiming to dampen the noise and disturbances on the water.
Party boats are now banned from approaching certain areas by closer than one nautical mile (about 1.15 miles), limiting where they can take tourists looking for a party at sea.
Those fined under the new regulations will face penalties from 500 to 1500 euros. The BBC reports that, with the law's enactment on Saturday, "the number of sanctions imposed on foreigners will be recalculated and passed on to the relevant embassies."
The Balearics say no to alcohol tourism
Speaking for the Balearic Tourism Council, Luis Pomar expressed that the law targets antisocial behavior, hoping that such stringent measures will become unnecessary "in three to four years if we teach people how to behave."
A night-time ban on all alcohol sales from 9:30 PM to 8 AM Eastern Time has been introduced, alongside restrictions on alcohol promotion and sales in certain tourist locales.
Pomar mentioned forming a commission to foster good citizenship in tourist areas, extending invitations to representatives from countries most associated with problematic tourists: the United Kingdom and Germany.
Following requests from local authorities for changes to the law, an additional investment of 16 million euros is planned to enhance areas that experience high tourist traffic.
