According to the Spanish Caravan Industry and Commercial Association, registrations of new campervans in the Balearic Islands increased by 36% last year.
The turnaround comes as mobile home owners in Palma, Mallorca, will soon have to deal with a civil order banning overnight stays in public areas.
Mayor Jaime Martinez recently stated that “caravans cannot be a housing solution or a tourism model without regulation.”
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His comments prompted a strong reaction from one motorhome group, who said their activity was a legitimate form of sustainable tourism.
“They are criminalizing us for no reason and all we want is enough space to park and coexist harmoniously with the city,” he said.
For example, spending the night in a motorhome parked in a public area can result in a fine of up to €1,500.
People living in camper vans in improvised settlements such as by the pool at Son Hugo face an uncertain future due to impending legislation.
The number of camper vans is on the rise as Mallorca faces problems with the supply of affordable housing.
At the end of 2024, the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) conducted Spain’s first survey on campervans and announced that there are 150 campervans on Mallorca, of which around 83 are residential.
Settlements were located in Cas Catala in Calvia, as well as in Son Hugo, Son Guells, Ciutat Giardi, La Villeta, and Nou Levante in the Parma area.
Campervan owners are also divided, with two groups calling for a February 8 demonstration against Palma’s new law.
However, representatives of “residential” car owners distanced themselves from the protests.
The two associations are made up of tourists and recreational campervan users, he said.
Javier González, who represents the owners of Son Güell’s settlement, said the two groups complained about “trivial issues” and that the real consequences for 90% of Palma’s caravan participants were not clear. He said the problem was housing.
“Our use is residential, not recreational. They want to park their cars next to the beach because they go sightseeing. “We live here because there are no affordable properties. I have no choice but to do so,” Gonzalez added.
