In the scorching heat, a long line of rental cars stretching for kilometers struggles up a winding road. On this late summer morning, an army of vacationers heads for Valldemossa.

The picturesque mountain village is one of the most popular destinations on the Spanish island of Mallorca, and, as in years past, traffic jams on the narrow mountain road are once again a daily occurrence.

The chaos isn't just a problem for the holidaymakers: a bus carrying mainly commuters on their way to work is also stuck in traffic.

"This is unbearable," grumbles one of them, with a glance at the seemingly endless stop-and-go traffic.

19 million vacationers in the Balearic Islands

Opposition to mass tourism has been growing on the Balearic Islands for years, just as in other parts of Spain, and often erupts in protests.

Despite this, the islands are heading for a new visitor record this year. By late July, almost 11 million people had spent their holidays in the archipelago, which is made up of Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera.

That's a slight increase relative to the same period last year. For the whole of 2024, the figure was 18.7 million.

In 2025, that number is set to rise to more than 19 million — or about one in five of all international visitors to Spain.

Although the figures may appear promising on the surface, Mallorca's tourism industry feels it has little to celebrate. Restaurateurs, retailers and operators of tourist attractions all say their sales figures are significantly down.

Fewer Germans travelling to Mallorca

Ironically, they're most worried about the lack of German tourists, whose numbers have fallen dramatically this summer compared to last year, by more than 8% in July alone.

Traditionally, Germans make up by far the largest group of holidaymakers in Mallorca. That's why many involved in Mallorca's tourism industry are sounding the alarm.

Pedro Oliver, chairperson of the Balearic Tourist Guides Association, is convinced that anti-tourism rallies are partly to blame.

"I've no doubt they've had an effect: the message has been received," says Oliver. He and his colleagues have noticed that something has changed.

"Tourists are constantly asking whether it's true that Mallorca no longer wants vacationers," he says.

Rafel Roig, chairman of the Balearic Transport Federation, takes a similar view. "It's obvious: if I hear I'm not wanted in a place, then I'm not going to go there."

Rising summer temperatures could be a factor

Alvaro Blanco from Spain's Tourism Office in Berlin, doubts that German vacationers are being deterred by the anti-tourism demonstrations.

His office has received just two emails from concerned German citizens on the matter in recent months.

"I don't think the protests are having any impact," says Blanco, adding that Germany's economic challenges could be a more decisive factor.

He also suspects that some travelers may simply be staying away from southern Europe because of rising temperatures in the summer months.

Carlos Cendra from Mabrian, a consulting firm specializing in tourism, also thinks Germans are staying away from Mallorca for economic reasons, especially considering the significantly increased prices on the island.

Hotel prices strain holiday budgets

For years now, Mallorca's tourism industry has been striving to improve quality. This is most evident from the more luxurious accommodation on offer nowadays: over the past 20 years, the number of four- and five-star hotels has tripled, as one- to three-star hotels disappear from the market.

This, in turn, has brought a rise in prices.

When it comes to marketing, the Balearic government has also been casting the net wider, stepping up advertising in the United States, for example. This year, an unusually large number of French, Italian and Scandinavian tourists visited the island, more than compensating for the decline in German tourists.

In 2025, the islands looks to be heading for another record. Although the regional government says the archipelago is at capacity, the administration has so far shied away from any measures to restrict tourism.

After much back and forth, the government still couldn't bring itself to raise the accommodation tax, introduce a special levy on rental cars or impose stricter rules on vacation rentals. Dependence on tourism is too great, as is the concern that demand could actually decline.

Protests set to continue

For Jaume Pujol, the spokesperson for the platform Menys turisme mes vida (Less Tourism, More Life), nothing has really changed on Mallorca.

"This summer was no different from the previous ones," he says.

The group has organized several large demonstrations against the excesses of mass tourism.

But the "streets were crowded again this year, and the healthcare system was overloaded. The logic of growth remains unchanged," says Pujol, adding that more demonstrations are on the horizon, including a major rally next year.

"The issue remains relevant," he says.

This article was originally published in German.