Security being stepped up to prevent squatting in Mallorca's hotels

The vast majority of hotels and other forms of tourist establishment in Mallorca are currently closed. While they obviously have security measures, an apparent ineffectiveness of these measures has been exposed by squatting this winter. The cases of the Sol y Mar Aparthotel in Cala Bona and the Bellevue complex (tourist apartments) in Puerto Alcudia have led to a stepping-up of security. The occupation of tourist apartments in Cala d'Or is a rather different case, as it has been ongoing for some years.

The Mallorca Hoteliers Federation expressed great concern at the squatting episode in Cala Bona, which was resolved quickly once it came to light. Without water or electricity and with the Guardia Civil having controlled access, the squatters were left with little alternative but to leave. The circumstances aren't the same at Bellevue, where some workers are housed in certain blocks; Neptuno II has the concentration of squatters. The sprawling character of the complex plus the ease of access render it inherently insecure. Evidence of physical security - guards - is limited. Guardia Civil or Alcudia Police patrol cars are seen periodically, but not much more.

The federation's executive vice president, María Jose Aguiló, blames the law for these problems. It doesn't protect owners. "We have seen this with housing and now we are beginning to also see it with business establishments". The federation is demanding a regulatory framework "that does not give legitimacy to criminal conduct".

Low-season security measures generally focus on robberies. But the effectiveness of these can vary from establishment to establishment. For example, around the time of the Cala Bona incident, the Guardia Civil arrested two men who had broken into a Puerto Alcudia hotel and stolen ten televisions. But in light of the Sol y Mar and Bellevue, tighter security is being adopted. As the season approaches, the last thing that tourist establishments want is having to contend with squatters and with the negative image that accompanies squatting.

The fact is, however, that there are establishments which represent easier targets than others and are potentially most attractive to squatters because of the type of accommodation. Cala Bona, Cala d'Or, Puerto Alcudia all have one thing in common - apartments.

Andrew Ede