Influencers devastate a secluded beach in Majorca, Spain: Footage reveals heaps of trash and long lines of tourists attempting to access the sand at a renowned destination celebrated on Instagram.
In the sun-kissed island of Mallorca, a once secluded and pristine cove named Caló des Moro has become a crowded tourist destination, thanks in part to the influence of social media.
Ukrainian tourist Kristina Vashchenko, 20, was among those initially drawn to the beach after seeing pictures on TikTok. However, she and her group were forced to look for another beach to visit as protests from local residents against the influx of tourists escalated.
Last summer, tourism officials in Mallorca encouraged content creators to visit lesser-known areas like Caló des Moro to ease pressure on busier spots. The strategy resulted in viral posts that attracted swarms of holidaymakers to the once remote beach. More than 1,300 TikToks about the beach have been posted, racking up an estimated 10 million views.
Up to 4,000 people and 1,200 vehicles were descending on the cove every day, causing litter problems and overcrowding. Frustrated locals, including hundreds of campaigners, protested against the influx of tourists, vowing to 'reclaim' the beach. Protesters distributed leaflets in English and German, forcing tourists to leave the cove.
In response to these issues, local authorities have removed promotional materials advertising Caló des Moro from official websites to curb visitor numbers and reduce the strain on the beach and surrounding environment. The mayor, Maria Pons, has publicly acknowledged the scale of the problem caused by social media-driven tourism and the challenges it brings to managing the site sustainably.
Caló des Moro was known for its turquoise waters, golden sands, and surrounding cliffs and greenery. It was accessible mainly by boat or a hiking trail, which kept the number of visitors low. The recent social media exposure has transformed it into a crowded hotspot, diverging sharply from its former quiet, natural state.
Footage shows sunseekers queuing to access the beach, and piles of rubbish now litter the shoreline. Locals in Caló des Moro are using the beach as a dumping ground for their possessions. Six tonnes of sand disappear from Caló des Moro every three months, with 70kg disappearing in towels and footwear daily.
Protests against mass tourism in Spain have been ongoing, with tens of thousands of locals taking to the streets across the country. In Mallorca, up to 50,000 locals descended onto the streets of the capital Palma in protests. In Barcelona, 2,800 people marched along a waterfront district demanding a new economic model to reduce the number of tourists.
Influencer promotion, particularly via platforms like TikTok, has led to a surge of visitors to Caló des Moro, causing overtourism, environmental degradation, and local disturbances. Local authorities have taken steps such as removing promotional content to mitigate these effects, and residents have actively protested to protect the beach.
- Kristina Vashchenko, a Ukrainian tourist, discovered Calo des Moro through videos on TikTok, but was compelled to seek other beaches as local protests against the increasing tourist influx grew.
- The rising popularity of Calo des Moro, as seen in travel videos on social media, has transformed it from a tranquil cove to a crowded tourist hotspot, leading to issues such as overcrowding, litter, and environmental degradation.
- In an attempt to manage tourism sustainably, local authorities in Mallorca have decided to stop promoting Calo des Moro on their official websites, while residents have taken to the streets in protests to 'reclaim' the beach and protect its natural lifestyle and pristine surroundings.
