Protests against overtourism could lead to the shutdown of Palma de Mallorca airport this summer, affecting thousands of holidaymakers flying to or from the popular destination.

The activist group Menos Turisme, Mes Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) held a “citizens’ meeting” on the Spanish island on Friday evening, attended by more than 300 people, to discuss proposals for dealing with the large numbers of tourists who visit the island each year, including whether mass protests should be planned.

Among other things, it was discussed to bring the airport to a standstill by causing a “collapse” of operations there, reports Mallorca daily bulletin.

Those present were told: “It will be an intense summer.”

No further details have been released about the attacks on the airport, although the tactic may be to cause traffic congestion on roads near the air hub during peak season by flooding the area with cars, reports say. The sun.

At the meeting, the legal consequences of disruptions to airport operations were discussed and the establishment of a fund to pay possible fines was proposed.

“To achieve an immediate, medium-term and also long-term response, collective strength is needed,” said Margalida Ramis, president of the environmental group GOB.

Mallorca is preparing for a protest on May 27th – at which time thousands of travellers, including many from the UK with children on their autumn holidays, will be on holiday on the island.

The increasing number of visitors to the Balearic island gave rise to actions: the organizers of the protests on the island demanded “the right to housing, the protection of the territory, our own language and culture”.

They demand “that the institutions take responsibility because we want to live in our homes, to protect our lives and because we do not want Mallorca to become a luxury resort”.

Similar protests are expected on the neighboring island of Ibiza this week, following protests in the Canary Islands last month.

The region’s president, Marga Prohens, said in early May that “the Balearic Islands have reached their limits” and that caps on visitors should be introduced “not only to preserve the model, economic activity and the Balearic Islands as a tourist destination, but also to make the model compatible with the lives of the inhabitants”.

However, the mayor of Calvia, a region on the island of Mallorca, has condemned the protests against tourism. He fears that tougher action against binge drinking will drive away tourists.

Mayor Juan Antonio Amengual said that although things were “changing” in this boozy hotspot on Mallorca, British, German and Italian tourists were still “very welcome”.