Mallorca and Ibiza crack down on public drinking by boozy tourists
Mallorca and Ibiza, two Spanish islands known for beach holidays and raucous parties, are cracking down on street drinking in an effort to tame anti-social behaviour by sun-seeking tourists.
The government of the Balearic Islands said four notorious party zones, like Mallorca's Playa de Palma, will have public drinking bans on stretches of beaches and public property.
Holidaymakers and locals who are caught with an open container, for example, could face a fine of between €500 and €1,500 ($540 to $1,616).
The rules are expected to come into force in the coming days, following their publication in the Official Gazette.
The "Decree for Responsible Tourism" affects parts of the municipalities of Palma and Llucmajor on Mallorca, including the German holiday resort of Playa de Palma and the British party zone of Magaluf. It also applies to Sant Antoni de Portmany on Ibiza.
Each of these zones is to receive €4 million a year for the implementation of the decree. The money comes from tourist tax revenues.
Terraces of bars and restaurants and other places expressly authorized for the consumption of alcohol are exempt from the ban.
Alcohol may still be served on the island's numerous party boats. However, they must now keep a distance of 1 nautical mile (1.85 kilometres) from the affected zones. In addition, the boats are no longer allowed to pick up or drop off guests in these zones.
The Mallorcan hoteliers' association FEHM defended the authorities' crackdown, saying it would help put an end to "uncivilized tourism."
