Village residents in Menorca threaten to close entry to tourists – World

Residents of the village of Binibeca Vell, on the Spanish island of Menorca, threatened to end access to the village due to the constant noise generated by visitors and the rubbish that has been accumulating daily.

“The problem is not the tourists”, said Óscar Monge, leader of the group that represents the 195 owners of Binibeca Vell, blaming the authorities, who, according to him, abandoned the residents while they struggled with the noise and rubbish. “Binibeca Vell is not an adventure place, but it is a private urbanization where people live.”

This is a debate that has been taking place across Spain, and also across Europe, with residents asking for a balance between local needs and the increase in tourists.

Binibeca Vell has become popular on social media as the white village by the sea, which has multiplied the number of visitors to around 800 thousand per year, with the majority arriving between May and October, says the site of the village. “If the administration continues to leave us abandoned, in August we will hold a vote among the owners to find out whether we should close the development”, added Óscar Monge.

These threats began to emerge after years of complaints from residents. “They enter houses, sit on chairs, take things, climb our walls, have open-air parties to drink,” said a resident in an interview with El Diario.es, on the behavior of tourists. “If this isn’t regulated, it’s going to happen every summer.”

Last year, residents began to crack down on the situation, asking tourists to only visit the village at certain times, between 11am and 8pm. “We want to have breakfast peacefully on our terraces and sleep peacefully without noise”, said Óscar Monge.

This request was published on site of the village, which also asks tourists not to enter houses or climb onto balconies. This request is accompanied by several photographs of tourists on private properties, serving as an example of what not to do.

The residents’ position is further boosted by the lapsed agreement with local officials. Last year, residents received 15,000 euros for rubbish removal, and authorities committed to improving the training of tourist guides who visit the area and reducing public transport to the area.

This agreement has not yet been renewed, but a meeting is planned in the coming days. “To be honest, we are going with little hope,” admits the leader of the ownership group.

Óscar Monge stated that the closure of the village is a measure of last resort, given the fact that it could harm around 100 families in the region, whose hotels, bars and shops depend on local tourism. “Of course it’s a difficult decision, but we are being pushed into it,” he said. “From the coast, it would still be possible to visit the perimeter of the village, but it would not be possible to enter the inner streets, and that is the charming photo that everyone wants for Instagram.”

Begonã Mercadal, responsible for tourism for the government of Menorca, speaking to the El Diario.es, confirmed that the village is within its rights to restrict visits. “We fully recognize that this is private property and therefore if they want to close it, that is their right.”