An innovative artificial intelligence (AI) campaign has been launched in Majorca to draw attention to the island’s challenges with overtourism, specifically targeting visitors from the European Union. This initiative focuses on the town of Sóller, situated on the Balearic Island, which has become a notable example of the pressures caused by the excessive influx of tourists.
The campaign, known as ‘Welcome to Sollerland’, employs AI-generated images shared through a public Instagram account to highlight concerns about overcrowding in Sóller’s key locations and attractions. These digital depictions envision possible future scenarios during peak tourist seasons, illustrating how the town’s spaces could become overwhelmed if current tourism trends continue.
One of the social media posts asks, “What will this summer be like in Sóller?” alongside a series of images featuring heavily congested scenes. Notably, the Plaza de la Constitución is shown crammed with tourists and rental cars, while the iconic Sóller train is depicted stuffed with passengers to the point of bursting. In one image, a man holding a placard reads, “I was from here,” symbolising the feeling of local residents being overshadowed by visitors. Another shows a young woman on the train surrounded by tourists absorbed in their smartphones, wearing a top bearing the phrase, “I was from here.” A particularly striking picture presents a youth on an overcrowded beach holding a sign stating, “I used to play here.”
The campaign’s visuals convey the mounting frustrations among local inhabitants as they grapple with the consequences of an unregulated tourist boom. These digital representations have sparked commentary from those familiar with Sóller’s current situation. One social media user remarked on recent personal experiences, saying, “I drove into and passed Sóller a few times last week. The gridlock was mostly caused by cars stopping and looking/waiting for parking spaces. If local authorities would guide traffic better there would not be an issue. As it happened there was nobody to be seen.” The same commenter argued that the key problem lay with impatient drivers causing traffic hold-ups while searching for parking, adding, “And cars holding up everyone behind them all the time. Simple. In typical Mallorcan style, complain but never any relevant action.”
In response to traffic and environmental pressures, Sóller’s local council has initiated a trial of a “non-resident traffic zone” covering around 70 hectares. This measure forms part of a broader low-emission zone experiment aimed at curbing vehicular congestion and reducing pollution caused by tourist traffic.
By leveraging artificial intelligence to create vivid portrayals of potential futures, the ‘Welcome to Sollerland’ campaign underscores the challenges Majorca faces in balancing its popularity as a travel destination with the needs and quality of life of its residents. The initiative has succeeded in attracting public discourse on the subject, as well as prompting consideration of policy responses such as traffic restrictions and environmental measures.
Source: Noah Wire Services