Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The director of Ibiza's Department of Tourism, Vicente Torres, explained in an interview with Pulse yesterday that the island has a "limited capacity" and simply cannot sustain constant increases in tourism. The island is only 572 km², so there are realistic limits to what can be expected from it in terms of potable water, "infrastructures such as roads, treatment and desalination plants, etc.," and general environmental strains, he said. THUMP found out firsthand about the mass overconsumption of drinkable water on the island last year—a problem fueled in part by party tourism, which happens to be the island's economic motor.At this point in time, the island is looking to make changes in order to abate long term effects. In the effort to sustain Ibiza's natural resources, he says that January saw the approval of a moratorium on construction in certain parts of the island. Furthermore, on July 1 a new "sustainable tourism" tax went into effect for tourists 16 and over, which ranges from 50 cents per person per night in hostels or campsites to €2 for luxury hotels and upmarket apartments. The total tax is cut in half if a visitor stays more than eight nights.Follow Alexander on Twitter.
Advertisement