It’s known as one of the world’s great party islands, and now, Ibiza is also seeking to establish itself as a bastion of sustainable tourism.
The Balearic island has put in place a cap on tourist vehicles – specifically non-resident cars and caravans – for the summer season (1 June to 30 September), as part of a broader Spanish effort to create a more sustainable tourism model.
Non-resident vehicles arriving on the island will be limited to 20,000 per day, the policy, led by the Consell Insular d’Eivissa, stated, responding to mounting concerns over overtourism, traffic congestion, and ecological strain.
Of the total quota, 16,000 permits are allocated to rental cars on the island, while 4,000 are reserved for private vehicles arriving by ferry, which require prior online authorisation. Caravans must hold confirmed reservations at licensed campsites, with wild camping strictly banned. Motorcycles remain exempt for now.
Ibiza has a year-round population of 150,000 residents, but the island welcomes more than 3.6 million tourists per year, with the number of vehicles registered on the island swelling over the past two decades. Ibiza’s move follows on from similar vehicle reduction efforts in Majorca and Formentera.
Increased visitor tax
Elsewhere, Ibiza, along with Majorca, Menorca and Formentera, introduced a higher ‘sustainable tourism tax’ for all visitors to the island during the months of June, July and August.
The tax, which is being used to improve water distribution across the island, develop renewable energy solutions, and other related measures, was increased from €1 to €2.50 per night at the low end, and from €4 to €6 per night at the high end.
Sustainable tourism
Last week, the president of Consell d’Eivissa, Vicent Marí, took part in a European Commission-organised roundtable on the topic of sustainable tourism, alongside the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri; head of tourism of the city of Amsterdam, Jelmer Peter; head of the European Federation of Tourist Guides, Alejandra Saenz de Miera; and Anté Mandic, professor at the University of Split.
As well as outlining the new regulations regarding vehicles, Marí outlined ways in which Ibiza is seeking to reduce the ‘saturation’ of tourists at times of the year, which ‘interferes with the quality of life of citizens and the experience of those who visit’ the island. Read more here.
