Artificial Intelligence is now being used to sound the alarm about overtourism in a popular Spanish holiday hotspot, with images showing how beloved destinations in the town could soon look in future. Soller, a beautiful town on the northwest coast of Majorca, is one of the Balearic Island’s most picturesque and sought-after destinations for tourists.
But like other parts of Spain, Majorca has seen large-scale overtourism protests in recent months, with locals railing against what they see as its impact on the cost of living, including property and rent prices. Large-scale demonstrations have also been held in places like Barcelona and the Canary Islands.
One image shared this week shows a young woman wearing a t-shirt that says “I was from here” while travelling on Soller’s famous train, surrounded by tourists holding up smart phones to snap the passing scenery, as reported by Majorca Daily Bulletin.
Another image dreamed up by AI shows a young boy on a beach holding up a placard that reads, “I used to play here”, with a group of tourists eating ice cream in the background.
It also features images in an animated style depicting Repic Beach in “Summer 2025” covered in people, with heaving hordes stretching along the coastline.
Authorities on the Balearic Islands have launched various measures to tackle local concerns, including an ongoing temporary ban on establishing new beds for tourists on Majorca and the islands surrounding it, as per The Olive Press.
The outlet reported earlier this month that the Balearic government is also mulling various stricter rules to control tourism ahead of the busy summer season.
These could include tough new measures to take on illegal tourist accommodation, with penalties as high as €500,000 (around £427k).
Local authorities have introduced similar measures across the Mediterranean nations.
You can find out more about Spain’s new tourist bans and restrictions in major cities acrossthe country here.