Mediterranean tourists face challenges. Climate change and rising tourist numbers strain resources. Ibiza's Montesol hotels adapt to water scarcity—tourist destinations such as Greece and Spain experience increased arrivals. The locals protest over tourism in cities like Barcelona. Alentejo in Portugal struggles with water competition. Trentino, Italy, witnesses a surge in mountain tourism. Destinations seek sustainable solutions.
The Montesol is Ibiza's oldest hotel. Built in 1933, it's a neoclassical monolith on a leafy boulevard between the port and the old town of the Spanish island's capital city. For the last three quarters of a century, the hotel has hosted generations of Hollywood elite and giants of the music business,, while outside Ibiza was transformed from a laid-back haven for 1950s beatniks and Bohemians into a Fantasy of mega clubs, neon lights, giant LED screens, and thumping electronic music when the French luxury hoteliers Experimental Group took over the property in 2021, they undertook a refurbishment that reflects a new and challenging reality for Ibiza's tourist industry.
Over the past decade, perennial droughts, population growth, and a surge in tourism have led to a growing scarcity of freshwater on the island of Ibiza. Hence, Montesol's new owners removed the bathtubs from the rooms and installed only showers. Average temperatures have increased by 1.26°C over the last 70 years, according to Ibiza Preservation, a non-profit research group. Hence, the hotel put in more insulation to keep the interior cool. To reduce their energy use, they set the minimum temperature for air conditioning to 19°C and installed a system that turns off the air conditioning when the windows are opened.
"I often get pushback from clients because they want rooms at 16 degrees," Romee de Goorianoff, one of Experimental Group's founders, said, sitting at the hotel's street terrace. "People want to be green but not when it comes to their comfort or their holidays."
Last year, 3.7 million tourists visited Ibiza, representing a 23% increase over the previous eight years. The demand for holiday homes and housing for seasonal workers, along with an influx of wealthy migrants following the pandemic, has driven up rental prices. The Experimental Group now offers employees accommodation as part of their compensation packages.
Tourism has underpinned economic growth and development in the European Mediterranean for decades. Across the region, it employed more than 8 million people in Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy in 2023 and 2024, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, an industry body. The tourism sector accounts for nearly 13% of Spain's and Greece's gross domestic product, more than 10% of Italy's, and 16.5% of Portugal's. After a dip during the COVID pandemic, numbers have continued to grow. International rivals to the European Mediterranean are 8
