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Vol. 7 Issue 186 www.theolivepress.es July 26th - August 8th 2024
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Beating the high press has A SPANISH football team come to the rescue of a grandbeing mother who was facing debooted from her home of six cades to make way for a tourist apartment. The plan to evict Maria Muñoz, 88, from her Cadiz house pensparked outrage, with the sioner given a cruel ultimatum:it she could either leave or buy for €147,000, which she simply
to make way for tourist Grandmother facing eviction football team flats is saved by local Cadiz €92 a month. By Simon Hunter
couldn’t afford. Fortunately, residents’ platforms the came to her aid and whenteam city’s Cadiz CF football they heard about her plight
of just has occujumped in to help. now The octogenarian since 1967, The team’s foundation has pied the apartment bought the property and drawn back when it was rented out by up an indefinite rental agreelong rooms. husment so that she can stay as She lived there with her three her as she likes. will band Antonio, and had The Fundacion de Cadiz rent children there. charge Muñoz her previous
was In the 1990s, the property husrefurbished, but she and her is band continued to pay what known in Spain as renta antigua, or ‘old rent’, a small peppercorn insum not updated in line with
flation. in It was when her husband died 2016 that her problems began.to Legally, she was required to transfer the contract over to her name, which she failed
do, unaware of the rule. A new contract was then signed, But with the €97 monthly rent. the there was a time limit to the contract, and in recent years other owners began to sell the apartments. Meanwhile, most of the neighwere bouring apartments with turned into tourist rentals, to Maria’s landlords planning do the same.
HE may have a €50 million estate in the hills of Mallorca – the place he loves ‘most in the world’ – but that doesn’t stop Michael Douglas from getting down with the locals. In fact the Hollywood legend, 79, has been branded an unofficial ambassador for the island thanks to a series of recent videos showing him soaking up the local culture. The Basic
TENSIONS BOIL AN anti-tourism demonstration in Palma de Mallorca last weekend attracted more than double the numbers of protestors since the previous one in May. More than 20,000 people marched through the city against the mass tourism model that they claim is strangling the island.
Jeering
The march, which demanded ‘a change to the current tourism model’, went from the Plaza de España to the Plaza de la Reina. Once again it was organised by the platforms Menys Turisme, Mes Vida (Less tourism, More life). At least 111 separate organisations took part and even a few politicians put in an appearance. The Balearic government praised the organisers for ensuring the protest passed ‘without incident’. But UK media claimed the protest specifically targeted British tourists, with many mallorquinos jeering England’s recent loss in the Euros. One placard even read: “The only thing coming home is you.”
Instinct star was all smiles as he recorded himself enjoying a traditional village celebration in Valldemossa for people about to turn 80 - a milestone he will reach on September 25. The Oscar-winning star of
Wall Street was attending what is known in the local mallorquin language as the gent gran, which translates to ‘older people’. These popular events include a homage to seniors in their 80s, with regional dances and lunches put on for attendees with local food and concerts. “I’m celebrating my 80th birthday with the people,” Douglas said in a video shared with his 1.7 million followers on Instagram.
‘WE LOVE YOU!’
Locals battle anti-tourism movement by handing out heart-warming notes to holidaymakers A GROUP of Palma residents have decided to fight back against the tidal wave of anti-tourism sentiment that has washed over the island. Known as ‘We Love Tourism Mallorca’, the platform has been giving out cards to visitors and covering over anti-tourism posters with stickers reading ‘we love you’. Their website, welovetourismmallorca.com, reads: “We understand that there is a problem with oversaturation in Mallorca, but we firmly believe it is not only the respon-
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sibility of tourists, nor is closing off the island the solution. “We shouldn’t demonise tourism, it is the biggest economic driver on the islands.” The group added: “We want to send out a message of love and support to our visitors before the impending protests.” PROTESTS: Over 20,000 people marched against mass tourism The non-profit group also states that last week ‘Mallorcans have relied on tourism ideas after which they will be prefor a long time’ and have called for issue. “We want to find solutions and in- sented in a meeting with the Balear‘common sense’. “There is no point biting the hand vite suggestions from the public. ic Government. that feeds us,” the anonymous mem- Together we can carve out a better One proposed idea has been to bring in a minimum time people must refuture for us all,” they said. bers said. The apolitical platform proposes us- Their website includes a suggestion side in Mallorca before they are aling ‘community input’ to solve the box, where anyone can submit their lowed to buy and sell property. They also call for a moratorium on new infrastructure dedicated solely to tourism, such as airports and harbours.
Reduce
Private jets should be banned and cruise ships docking at the islands reduced. Another idea is to reduce the number of hammocks and beach umbrellas available on the beach, believing this may discourage tourists from coming. But their abiding message is to drop the anger and the resentment towards the individual tourists who set foot on the island simply in search of a pleasant break from their normal lives.