Tourism agencies in Mallorca have expressed fierce opposition to a proposed rule that could drastically reduce tour group sizes from 70 to 20 people in Palma.
The proposal from Palma City Council has drawn sharp criticism from industry bodies, who warn it could severely damage local tourism.
The proposed changes to Palma's tour group regulations are currently in a public comment period and will need to pass a final vote by the full council before being implemented.
Currently, tour groups in the Balearic capital typically operate with between 30 and 50 visitors per group, although the maximum is capped at 70.
Mallorca is a popular destination among British tourists
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President of Proguias Turístics de Baleares, Gabriel Rosales, argued that the changes would make tours "financially unsustainable".
They could also create significant operational challenges. As reported by Olive Press, he asked: "What happens when people join the group on the fly? Are we going to tag them like animals? Or hand out batons to keep out the unauthorised tourists?"
He warned that the proposed changes could seriously impact tourism revenue, including at major attractions like the Cathedral of Mallorca.
The Balearic Islands Travel Agencies Business Association (Aviba) also condemned the proposal, warning it would force companies to hire additional guides and increase wages.
The change, if implemented, would require tour operators to hire three guides instead of one to manage the same number of visitors currently handled by a single guide.
Aviba also cautioned that higher operational costs would lead to increased tour prices for visitors.
This price hike could trigger a damaging ripple effect, with tourists having less money to spend at local businesses.
Rather than reducing group sizes, tourism bodies suggested implementing better systems to manage visitor flow and prevent multiple tours from overlapping in the same areas.
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The proposed changes could seriously impact tourism revenue, including at major attractions
GETTY IMAGESIf established by Palma City Council, the proposal could significantly reshape how guided tours operate in one of Spain's most popular tourist destinations.
Tourists face this change against a backdrop of anti-tourist sentiment in Spain.
Local protests against overtourism have led some Britons to turn their backs on the holiday destination.
Holidaymakers were also warned ahead of new checks and fees when travelling to Spain, Portugal and more.
