Main Street Independent

TAG  ·  Religion & Society

communities

Mallorca courts wealthy American tourists as housing crisis fuels local anger

Illustration accompanying article: Mallorca courts wealthy American tourists as housing crisis fuels local anger
  • Pedro Homar, managing director of Palma's tourism board, says Mallorca is pursuing a "quality over quantity" model that targets wealthy, quieter visitors, especially Americans.
  • American visits to the island rose 60% through June; U.S. tourists spent about $410 per day in Spain in July, compared with $240 by German visitors and $260 by British travelers, according to government data.
  • Tourism accounts for almost half of economic activity in the Balearic Islands, according to the non-profit Exceltur, leaving policymakers limited room to restrict arrivals.
  • On parts of the island, local authorities have imposed fines for drunken behavior, banned party boats and capped all-inclusive drinks at six per day, though residents argue the problem is the number of tourists, not just the type.
  • A severe housing shortage has pushed some Mallorcans into a camper-van community of more than 100 vehicles on the outskirts of Palma; a 62-year-old resident described her situation as "collateral damage" of the island's housing crisis.
 2026-09-12 · 5 MIN READ

London councils seize 3,393 ebikes in 2026, exceeding all of 2025

Illustration accompanying article: London councils seize 3,393 ebikes in 2026, exceeding all of 2025
  • London boroughs have seized 3,393 ebikes so far in 2026, 23% more than all of 2025, according to freedom of information responses obtained by the Guardian.
  • Lime, the California-based rental operator, accounted for more than 2,000 of the seizures; Forest ranked second at 978, followed by Voi at 103.
  • Living Streets campaigner Zak Viney said irresponsibly parked ebikes prevent people from "walking and wheeling on the street safely."
  • RNIB's Erik Matthies said some blind people have stopped making journeys they previously made because of pavement obstructions.
  • The English devolution act, passed in April, gives TfL new powers to create a London-wide licensing framework for dockless ebike operators.
 2026-09-12 · 3 MIN READ
Cost of living tops voters' concerns as Burnham plans UK tour