The scenic Spanish town of Soller in Majorca has imposed a ban on rental cars, allowing only residents to drive within the town centre. Often considered among the prettiest towns on the island, Soller’s popularity has resulted in an influx of visitors, leading to traffic and parking issues.
The Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that the council has taken measures to reduce the number of cars in the town centre by designating zones exclusively for vehicles owned and registered by residents. Tourists wishing to visit the town by car are advised to park at the outskirts of these zones and walk, with new car parks being planned to accommodate the demand. However, a frequent visitor to Soller was quoted saying: “providing that there is parking I don’t think that there will be a problem, but if there is no parking then it could be a nightmare.”
There have also been calls to limit the number of hire cars on the island, something that car hire firms have spoken out against. Othman Ktiri, CEO of car-hire firm OK Mobility, previously said in an interview with Majorca Daily Bulletin: “You can’t reduce the number of hire cars if you don’t increase public transport. Anything that involves limiting the offer once the tourist has arrived in the destination would lead to greater chaos.
“No firm brings a single car to the islands thinking that it is not going to be hired. In addition, not all hire cars serve tourists, they also serve many residents.”
Visitors are being encouraged to use public transport whenever possible to visit Soller. A train runs regularly from the island’s capital of Palma, and there’s a tram that runs from the centre to the port, with stops along the beaches. There are also buses across Majorca, with additional services running in the summer months.
The changes are being implemented amid concerns over excessive tourism on the Balearic Islands, particularly Majorca, which welcomed 17.8 million visitors last year, including 2.3 million Brits. Soaring prices and a shortage of properties for locals due to holiday lets have sparked protests on the island, as well as in other Spanish tourist hotspots like Tenerife.
Tourists visiting Spanish destinations will be subject to stricter regulations, requiring them to provide 42 pieces of personal information. Many local councils are also tightening their grip on unauthorised holiday lets, introducing stringent rules regarding registration and inspections.