- Title: Mallorca closes party hot spots as rowdy tourists sparks outcry
- Date: 16th July 2020
- Summary: PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN (JULY 15, 2020) (REUTERS) === NIGHT SHOTS=== COUPLE WEARING FACE MASKS AT EL ARENAL BEACH WALKING ON AN EMPTY MIQUEL PELLISA STREET, KNOWN AS "BIERSTRASSE" (BEER STREET) TO GERMAN TOURISTS, WHERE BARS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET ARE CLOSED A PAIR OF TOURISTS WEARING FACE MASKS ON OTHERWISE EMPTY "BIERSTRASSE" CORDONED OFF BAR TERRACE TOURIST WEARING FACE MASK STANDING ON OTHERWISE EMPTY "BIERSTRASSE" WHERE BARS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET ARE CLOSED TOURISTS NOT WEARING FACE MASKS WALKING ON STREET CLOSED BAR TOURISTS WITHOUT MASKS (SOUNDBITE) (German) TOURISTS FROM HAMBURG GERMANY, JULIA AND ANNE, SAYING: JULIA: "So we were here yesterday and there was nothing happening anyway and we didn't really see many people. In a way we can understand it (the measures), but it is still somehow unnecessary." ANNE: "Yes it is a real shame when you come here. OK people didn't stick to the rules, but there is nothing going on and now it has been closed, it is a shame." ==== DAY SHOTS === VARIOUS OF TOURISTS SITTING AT TERRACE OF BAR BEACH FRONT BARS PROMENADE (SOUNDBITE) (German) RESIDENT OF PALMA FROM BERLIN, GERMANY, KLAUS, SAYING: "It isn't nice to see that everyone has to wear a mask. Why? Why? I don't have the answer. The virologists just want to earn money. The stock exchange is crashing in Germany. We will either get ill or we won't get ill. " PEOPLE WALKING PAST BEACH FRONT BARS WHERE PEOPLE ARE SITTING AT TERRACE TABLES IN EL ARENA BEACH AT DUSK (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH TOURIST, LAURENT, SAYING: "It's the first time I come here. Compared to the previous years, from what I heard, it's totally different. It has its advantages and its inconveniences as it's much calmer, and on the other hand, less exciting. But it's not all bad really." COUPLE WALKING DOWN EMPTY STREET AS MUSIC PLAYS FROM BAR WOMAN ON PROMENADE AT DUSK TAKING PHOTO
- Embargoed: 30th July 2020 09:23
- Keywords: British tourists in Mallorca COVID-19 German tourists in Mallorca Mallorca Spain bars in Mallorca coronavirus tourists
- Location: PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN
- City: PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CN26VRB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Authorities on the Spanish island of Mallorca ordered the closure of three popular party streets on Wednesday (July 15) in a bid to prevent drunken tourists from flouting coronavirus restrictions and risking a fresh outbreak.
The move comes after several widely circulated videos showed German and British tourists partying in packed bars without face masks and, in one case, jumping up and down on a parked car.
"The objective is to prevent antisocial behaviour which could jeopardise what has been achieved in terms of a safe restart for the tourism sector," the Balearic Islands' regional government said in a statement.
In the Palma de Mallorca's El Arenal beach area, two streets, Miquel Pellisa Street known as "Calle de la Cerveza" (Beer Street), or "Bierstrasse" to German Tourist, and "Calle del Jamon" (Ham Street) were closed.
In the resort of Magaluf, notorious for attracting young, rowdy Britons, bars, shops and restaurants in Punta Ballena will be closed for an undetermined period of time.
Attracting nearly 14 million visitors in 2019, the Balearic Islands are one of Spain's most popular tourist draws.
Since European borders were reopened in July, the regional government has sought to market the islands as a safe destination, particularly to the German and British tourists who make up the bulk of its visitors.
Last week it became the second Spanish region to make face masks compulsory even when social distance can be guaranteed.
But in Germany, the videos of loutish behaviour raised concerns that holidaymakers were risking infection, which could then be imported back home.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn warned on Monday (July 13) that the risk of a second wave of coronavirus infections was still real and that the population should not become overconfident.
(Production: Enrique Calvo, Catherine Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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