Spain’s Ibiza Moves to Limit Tourists Including Cruise Ships

The Spanish island of Ibiza, long a popular tourist destination in the Mediterranean, is becoming the latest location to move to control tourism including cruise ship passengers. The Council of Mayors which governs the Balearic island voted Friday, September 13, to take a number of steps to control what residents see as an out-of-control influx of tourists.

The island is just 21 miles long and 200 square miles. It lies about 100 miles off the Spanish coast making it popular for quick trips as well as a frequent cruise ship stop. It has sandy beaches and is well-known for its nightlight.

Reports indicate there are just 160,000 residents of the island while in 2023 it received nearly 550,000 cruise ship passengers. That was up 86 percent from the approximately 300,000 passengers in 2022 and exceeded pre-pandemic levels. It is unclear if these numbers include the ferries arriving from Spain.

Tourism accounts for more than two-thirds of the island’s economy. However, residents are complaining that it is becoming overwhelmed by tourists. Specifically, when multiple ships arrive, they point to local transportation becoming overwhelmed and the picturesque streets leading to the city center becoming crowded with passengers.

The Council of Mayors said it is not against tourism but it must arrive in a more orderly manner and that it will also move to block illegal tourist accommodations. They agreed to work with the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands to review the annual cruise ship schedule. They want more “controlled and planned” arrival schedules so that no more than two passenger ships arrive simultaneously. They stopped short of enacting a limit on the number of passengers arriving daily at the port of Elvissa.

Other steps to help curb overtourism on the island include expanding a ban on multi-family accommodations. The island already has restrictions about renting accommodations in private homes and will move to expand this ban to control what they call “illegal tourist travelers.” The new measure will include fines of 75 percent of the value of the property. The mayors said this would help to address a shortage of housing on the island.

Ibiza follows the model of the neighboring island of Palma also in the Balearic chain. Last year, it voted to cap cruise ships at no more than three arrivals in a single day. There have also been moves to better control cruise ship arrivals in the port of Barcelona in part to reduce emissions.

Greece is also struggling with overtourism on its most popular islands. The Prime Minister early this month announced steps including increasing the port fees at the most popular islands. Both Santorini and Mykonos report being overwhelmed by cruise ship passengers. Santorini is working to reduce the number of passengers arriving daily.

Faced with pressure from destinations around the world, cruise ship operators argue they can adjust schedules and will work with the destinations.  Juneau, Alaska reached a voluntary agreement with the industry to cap daily arrivals, but in Bar Harbor, Maine they continue to face legal challenges over a plan to reduce to eliminate large cruise ships and passenger visits.