Ibiza Tourism Chief: Visitor Boom Putting a Strain on Resources

Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 11:51 AM ET, Thu July 21, 2016

There is a downside to being too popular.

According to the head of Ibiza's tourism department Vicente Torres, the tourism boom the island destination is currently in the midst of is putting a strain on its resources, the most important one being water.

"More people on the islands means more people consuming our resources, water, environment," Torres said in an interview with Pulse Radio.

"Nowadays we have nearly 100,000 legal touristic beds and a registered population of 13,000 inhabitants, approximately," added Torres. "The island is just 572 square kilometers (220 square miles); we cannot support much more increase in tourism."

Torres said the island currently can't support a continued increase in visitors because of limited access to key resources like potable water and medical treatment.

[READMORE] READ MORE: Let Sirenis Hotels & Resorts Put You in the Middle of Ibiza's Nightlife [/READMORE]

However, officials are working to address the issue. Torres told Pulse Radio that campaigns are in the works to educate and encourage tourists to conserve water on the island. What's more, he noted that $44 million is being invested in the island's aging and ineffective piping system.

Most recently, Ibiza introduced a tourist tax July 1 that's expected to bring in several million dollars in revenue that the island will use to fund natural resource protection efforts.

For travelers eyeing a trip to Ibiza, the tourist tax means a slightly more expensive trip.

According to the Daily Mail, a family of four with two children aged over 16 should expect to pay an extra $77 for a two-week stay.


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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