Spanish residents are outraged by the sight of a group of bikini-clad tourists strolling through the streets of Mallorca’s capital Palma after apparently arriving on a party boat – the latest near-naked display to rile up locals.
Footage shared by the Paseo Marítimo residents’ association, with the caption “THIS IS PARTY BOATS” in a mix of Spanish and English, showed five women walking along a road in Palma as a group of onlookers nearby appeared to stare .
“We have started Party Boat season,” the group lamented on social media, tagging local authorities. “Without any shame, as if they were on the beach… The police are not there and are not expected.”
The video angered other concerned locals, who furiously typed comments to express their views.
“Truly disgusting and degrading,” one person wrote. ‘They need to put an end to this as soon as possible. We cannot and will not allow it. It has to be reported and the authorities see it and stop it for good.”
Although the date the video was shot was unclear, its release comes just days after a tourist was photographed in a tight green swimsuit – leading to calls for nearly naked tourists to even be arrested for their behavior abroad.
The residents’ association shared a video of the tourists walking through the streets in swimwear
The island continues to issue dress codes for visitors attracted by the sun
The images caused strong reactions from residents who were concerned about the clothing of tourists
The group walked through a crowd of locals who seemed to be looking in their direction
Amid concerns on the continent over how to manage ‘overtourism’, and against the backdrop of Spain-specific protests against the influx of tourists, one user commented on the video: ‘When they arrive they are like a bucket’.
“And the police, as usual, are not seen or expected,” they continued.
“There is no police presence anywhere, at any time.”
Earlier this week, residents shared similar frustrations over a photo of a tourist walking through the island’s capital wearing nothing but green swimming trunks.
The man, who has not yet been identified, was seen strolling around Palma carrying little apart from a red beach towel.
He was seen walking down the busy street, with dozens of people surrounding him in Palma’s Jaume III district.
An outraged social media user branded the man “another idiot who should be banned from the island.”
‘If the government/police were serious, they could slowly improve Mallorca by banning all these types of idiots.’
Spanish authorities have indeed urged tourists to dress up when visiting Palma.
Although the island attracts many visitors for its beautiful sandy beaches, tourist boards insist that dress codes apply even off the beach.
‘It is important how visitors are dressed’ abcMallorca published in a visitors guide.
‘Discretion with clothing is… advisable in city centers. Only young people wear shorts, while most working people wear pants or skirts.
‘Nine in ten visitors to Spain don’t venture further than the coastline, meaning most people come here expecting to wear little clothing.
‘However, that does not mean that wearing swimwear or being bare-chested in the city is okay. Personal appearance is seen as an indicator of character.
In 2022, coastal restaurants in Mallorca issued a more official dress code for dining in local restaurants, in an effort to curb anti-social tourism.
This included not showing up shirtless, in crazy costumes or in football shirts, according to Juan Miguel Ferrer of Palma Beach, reported by The guard at the time.
“What we’re trying to convey somehow is the idea that to get in here you have to take a shower or change your outfit,” he added.
“You don’t come here in beachwear or come straight from drinking on the street.”
The man, who has not yet been identified, was seen strolling around Palma carrying little apart from a red beach towel.
He was seen walking down the busy street, with dozens of people surrounding him in Palma’s Jaume III district
The rules only applied to certain restaurants – although they were soon followed by new measures from resorts in Barcelona, Vigo, San Juan and Playa de Palma on guided tours, urinating in the sea, dancing in bars and wearing football shirts .
On Tuesday it was reported that Mallorca would clamp down on rowdy tourists by introducing a 9.30pm alcohol ban, while Palma vowed to introduce tougher measures to curb tourist numbers.
Maria Frontera, president of the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation, called for a “strategic plan” to tackle overcrowding, highlighting the “critical” state of the situation.
She cited the need for a ‘balance of coexistence’ between residents and visitors, with residents increasingly concerned about the type of holidaymakers attracted to the type of stay in the Spanish sun on offer.
Some 11.47 million tourists visited Mallorca in 2022. Last summer, initial forecasts predicted figures would rise for 2023, with a 5.9 percent year-on-year increase in July alone.
Many island destinations are in dire straits, still recovering from pandemic travel restrictions and with economies built around hosting tourists but also managing the needs and sensitivities of locals.