Tourists have previously been blamed by campaigners for soaring house prices and unprecedented strain on local infrastructure.

14:09, Fri, Jan 9, 2026 Updated: 14:33, Fri, Jan 9, 2026

Spain, Mallorca, View of tourists in Playa de Muro beach

Local officials have warned the regulatory change could usher in 'chaos' (Image: Getty Images/Westend61)

Authorities and locals in a popular holiday destination are fighting plans to legalise so-called "nautical Airbnbs". The mainland Spanish Government introduced regulations allowing private owners to rent out their boats for up to three months a year in Majorca, effective January 1. Restrictions in the Balearic archipelago will continue to apply; however, this includes the risk of tourist vessels losing their moorings at ports run by the regional Government.

The local backlash has been linked to fears that boat rentals will mirror the much-maligned spike in holiday apartments on the island in recent years, with up to 15 million tourists dwarfing its 1.2 million population every year, and Majorca's expat community is also on the rise.

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Cala Bona, Mallorca, Spain

The 'nautical Airbnb' trend could mirror the spike in tourist apartments, driving house prices up (Image: Getty Images/age fotostock RM)

Toni Mercant, director-general of maritime transport, told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: "What the government is doing is unprecedented and unheard of, favouring private interests that speculate with public land. There is no need to add more boats to the rental market in the Balearic Islands than are already available."

The Balearic Government also warned that the "nautical Airbnb" trend could come at a "high cost to safety and environmental conservation".

Pedro Gill, of Majorca's charter companies association, similarly said an influx of boats manned by tourists could create "chaos" in the island's ports.

"All these boats will now be leaving every day at 10am and returning to port at 6pm," he cautioned. "That will create chaos for anchoring, for entering and leaving the ports, and for facilities like those for refuelling. It's madness."

The legalisation of "nautical Airbnbs" could also cause the price of moorings to "skyrocket" for both individuals and companies, Mr Gill said.

"While professionals will maintain their rates in the market for rentals, this entire new market, lacking professionalism, will drive prices down," he continued. It's something that will be short-lived because the numbers won't add up, but it will take its toll on everyone."

The Spanish Government has filed an appeal against the Balearics' regulations, and officials said they will back down if a judge orders them to do so.

The latest outburst of anti-tourist sentiment in Majorca follows months of protests last year, with campaigners taking to the streets of the capital city, Palma, demanding that non-locals "go home" and even using water pistols against some unsuspecting holidaymakers.