by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:10 AM ET, Sun January 19, 2020
People heading to Ibiza for a good time will soon have to deal with new rules and regulations targeted at booze tourism and its impact on the region.
According to Spanish news outlet ElPais.com, the regional government of Spain's Balearic Islands passed legislation Friday that bans tour operators and bar owners from promoting or offering pub crawls, happy hours or party boats in three popular tourist areas.
The areas impacted by the booze tourism ban include Playa de Palma and Magaluf on the island of Mallorca and Sant Antoni de Portmany in Ibiza. Local officials said they are considering expanding the new regulations to other areas if necessary.
An estimated 13 million tourists visit the Balearic Islands every year.
"This is the first law adopted in Europe which restricts the sale and promotion of alcohol in certain touristic areas," the region's head of tourism Iago Negueruela told El País. "We are going for a model of sustainable tourism and we want to improve relations between tourists and residents."
Lawmakers in the Balearic Islands have also placed restrictions on the sale of alcohol by liquor stores after 9:30 p.m. local time and banned bars from offering free drinks. Officials said establishments who violate the rules will face fines of up to $669,000.
In addition, hotel guests are now banned from jumping from their balconies into pools or to other balconies, and the facilities that don't report the crimes and evict the offending travelers will face hefty penalties.
Earlier this month, government officials in Rome passed a ban on stands and snack bars at historical attractions, including the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.
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