Dilip Kuner
SUNSEEKERS on one of Mallorca’s most popular beaches are being rinsed for cash, with deckchair bosses demanding up to €70 a day for so-called ‘premium’ sunbeds – nearly three times the legal limit.
The environmental watchdog GOB has lodged an official complaint, accusing beach operators in Cala Major of blatantly flouting the rules by charging tourists eye-watering prices for basic beach furniture that’s meant to be regulated.
The group says there are two sets of price signs on the sand: one in blue, showing what looks like the approved rates – €6 for a sunbed and €7 for a parasol – and another, far glitzier version in gold, advertising a shocking €70 package for a pair of sunbeds and a brolly under the label of ‘Premium’.
The legal fee, according to GOB, is just €19 for that exact setup – a flat rate across all of Palma – making the luxury upgrade a staggering 288% hike with no official approval from the town hall or coastal authorities.
And that’s not all. GOB claims there are around 100 of these overpriced loungers littering the beach, and says the temporary beach bars are too close together, breaking rules that require at least 100 metres between them.
In their complaint, the group is demanding answers from the General Directorate of Coasts and the Sea, asking whether any action has been taken against these breaches, and calling for the operators’ licence to be revoked altogether if they’re found to have violated the conditions.
As the sun keeps shining, so does the scandal – and beachgoers may want to double-check the price tag before they lay down their towel.
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