Holidays in the Balearic Islands, including population destinations such as Majorca and Ibiza, could soon be under a free alcohol ban, as the local government want to enforce a law to end unlimited booze at all-inclusive resorts in a bid to end anti-social behaviour from tourists.
In 2020, the Balearic Island want to ban unlimited alcohol in every all-inclusive holiday resort across the islands, including Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera. The move is aimed at reducing excessive drinking and the behaviour associated with heavy drinking.
Sarah Waddington Solicitors look into the all-inclusive alcohol ban and find out how it could affect future holiday makers.
Will the Alcohol Ban Prevent Families from Going on All-Inclusive Holidays?
Many big-name travel companies have warned the Balearic authorities that implementing this ban could drive away UK families from booking to stay at an all-inclusive resort. The move is aimed at reducing excessive drinking and antisocial behaviour, but families would be penalised for this rather than rowdy young people. Many believe that the proposal is misguided and targets the wrong market. Typically, an all-inclusive customer is a family who appreciates the convenience and ability to control budgets – not a group of young people looking to drink excessively.
The move could potentially harm the tourism industry in this region and drive families away from booking to stay in these resorts. The majority of all-inclusive customers, especially families, enjoy having the convenience of food and drink on tap for themselves and their children when they want to enjoy it.
If the proposed Balearic Islands all-inclusive alcohol ban does go through in 2020, then a family holiday to the Balearics will become less attractive, especially when taking into account the fact that families are being charged almost double for flights during school holidays.
What Problems Have the Balearic Islands Faced with Tourists?
The Balearic Islands have experienced lots of problems with tourists for a while. In response to this, authorities have put up street signs warning people against drinking alcohol on the street and stripping off – to name just a few of the problems that the island has faced. The signs seem to have made an impact as reports suggest that young holidaymakers are now looking further afield to holiday in destinations such as Thailand and Australia.
With this in mind, it’s likely there is going to be a significant drop in ‘bad behaviour’ which would mean that the proposed alcohol ban in 2020 would be pointless.
Companies Opposing the All-Inclusive Alcohol Ban
Holiday experts in the UK are challenging the Balearic authorities plan to ban free alcohol in all-inclusive hotels. The Business Federation of Hoteliers in Majorca (FEHIF) have said that they are against the plan of only allowing free drinks in all-inclusive hotels during mealtimes and to charge for any other alcohol during the day or night. They also believe that tourists responsible for bad behaviour drink elsewhere and it is not linked to all-inclusive hotels. The FEHIF are also totally against the proposed limitations, claiming that there are hot spots of trouble on the island caused by alcohol obtained outside of all-inclusive hotels.
The Balearic authorities have been writing to travel agents and tour operators in the UK and Germany, to provide advanced notice of the controversial changes. The authorities believe that their proposed Balearic Islands all-inclusive alcohol ban will help to cut out drunken tourism and poor behaviour in the leading all-inclusive resorts.
The changes are set to come into force in 2020, which the Balearic authorities claim is enough time for tour operators and travel agents to book new deals with hotels and change their brochures and offers.
What Are Your Thoughts on This?
Do you think the proposed unlimited all-inclusive alcohol ban in the Balearic islands is right or wrong?