Popular holiday hotspots in the Balearic Islands have announced plans to bring in strict new 'green laws' from this summer that will affect many UK visitors.
The Balearics' government, which covers Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera, has approved regulations forcing tourism businesses to implement a range of laws that will bring big changes for holidaymakers.
The Government of the Balearic Islands will invest €55million to move towards a new tourism model with a stronger emphasis on sustainability.
All businesses, even bars, hotels and restaurants, will be required to implement plans that commit to eliminating waste and pollution, recirculating resources and regenerating nature.
Other measures include new hotel classifications with higher ratings for sustainability measures, such as using renewable energies.
The law also sets out the compulsory installation of both double push buttons on hotel WC cisterns, and water-saving devices on washbasins, bathtubs, and shower taps. Tourist establishments must also measure their water consumption and change oil boilers for natural gas or electricity.
Single-use bathroom toiletries will be prohibited, while hotels must also substitute any paper leaflets for QR codes and measure the consumption of waste.
The use of endangered species as food will be prohibited, and the traceability of Balearic fish and seafood made compulsory.
Finally, the law sets out to increase the protection of chambermaids, with hotels required to install elevating beds to help make room cleaning easier - a measure which requires renewing 300,000 beds.
The President of the Balearics, Francina Armengol, said: “The tourism sector in the Balearic Islands is primarily interested in continuing to adopt cutting edge tourism innovation, enabling the advancement of a transformation which has been in the running for some time.
The new laws bring together a series of measures which will allow a more inclusive and sustainable form of economic growth; an improvement to the cohabitation of workers, residents and tourists; a more efficient use of resources."
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