Holidaymakers warned over new alcohol ban in Ibiza and Majorca

Holidaymakers at the busiest resorts on Spain’s Balearic Islands are unable to buy alcohol from shops between 9.30pm and 8am under a crackdown announced by the local government.

The late-night sales of booze is prohibited in Llucmajor, Palma, Calvia (Magaluf) in Majorca and Sant Antoni in Ibiza.

Party boats will also be stopped from operating within one nautical mile of the designated area under the toughening of a law passed in 2020 to limit the impact of alcohol-fuelled holidays.

The ban on sales does not apply to bars, restaurants and clubs.

The legislation comes with a £14m funding package for security, inspections and advertising, the Balearic government said. Officials say it is part of an overall plan to promote responsible tourism, with the new law to remain in place until 2027.

Luis Pomar, from the Balearic Islands Tourism Council, told the BBC that he hoped the law would no longer be needed “if we instil in people how to behave”.

The measure comes as many European resorts brace for the influx of tourists over the summer season.

While the money generated by drinking alcohol is welcomed by some local businesses, the impact of drunk holidaymakers can be negative for the regions, especially for the people living there.

The situation has been highlighted by several television programmes such as What Happens in Kavos which show young people often getting drunk and getting involved in antisocial incidents such as fights.

In response, initiatives have been run across many party islands in a bid to crackdown on alcohol consumption.

In 2019, officials in Mallorca warned tourists they faced fines of up to €3,000 for antisocial behaviour or “causing a public nuisance”. The 2020 law imposed by the Balearic Islands banned bar crawls, defined as “excursions promoting excessive consumption of alcohol”.

Holiday companies have also taken action.

Thomas Cook warned holidaymakers in 2022 that “all-inclusive” no longer means “unlimited drinks” with local laws in the Balearic Islands determining people can have a maximum of six alcoholic drinks a day.