Month: June 2024

Thomas Wesley Pentz, a 45 year old American DJ and music producer – known professionally as Diplo – has been in the news this week.

In all his and his management team’s wisdom they organised a ‘secret party’ on the viewpoint overlooking Es Vedra, one of the most iconic natural beauty spots in Ibiza.

As is the way these days they plastered it all over Instagram for maximum coverage of their coolness but there is a slight problem. This is a protected area with special laws to stop this specific kind of activity.

The Spanish islands have been in the news a lot lately. There’s been an uprising of locals protesting about the saturation of tourism and the effect it’s having on the environment and living conditions for residents. So you can imagine the furore when Mr Pentz’s videos and photos were uploaded, it was fuel on the fire, the natives were not happy.

In their eyes it’s just another example of the tourism machine doing what it wants, when it wants with no thought for anything or anyone else.

DJ Diplo is now the shining light of disrespect, the spiritual leader of the ‘we don’t give a fuck’ gang, the boss of giving the finger to the locals and their laws.

I’m sure his friends and management will jump to his defence saying he didn’t realise it was such a controversial thing to do and he didn’t mean to offend anyone but that doesn’t matter. He did it.

I’m one of those offended that the special place I go to watch the sunset over Es Vedra was even more saturated by a sweaty mob, cheering and swaying to his music. Es Vedra is our Ayers Rock, it (or she as some say) belongs to no one and everyone. It’s arguably the most iconic spot on the island and is a sanctuary for those looking for some peace, tranquility and, dare I say it, spirituality.

For Mr Pentz to use it to promote himself, his night at Pacha and boost his Instagram profile is not just crude, it’s downright disrespectful and shows how out of touch he is with the island. What’s more it gives the anti-tourist zealots even more reasons to jump up and down and decry the most important commodity the island possesses.

The authorities have threatened to fine him thousands of euros and I sincerely hope they do although I doubt it will ever see the light of court.

It doesn’t matter to be honest because the damage has been done, the anti-tourist mob have their poster boy and Diplo, the entitled DJ, with his hundred million dollar estate in Jamaica, his chauffeur driven black Mercedes minivan with complimentary drinks is that man.

While DJ Dipstick departs on his private jet, the rest of us, who live here reliant of tourism, are left to read the sensationalist headlines, fend off the radicals and pick up the pieces. I hope he’s proud of himself but as long as his 6.2 million Instagram followers enjoyed it, I suppose that’s all that matters.

The Ibiza peak summer season is almost upon as we head towards July. It’s probably an age thing as the summer seems to be flying by but the word on the street isn’t as good as we were hoping for.

After a post pandemic boom, where travel was back with a bang and people grabbed it with both hands, 2022 and 2023 were record years for Ibiza but 2024 is proving a little more challenging. It’s not a chronic situation, more of a puzzling one. Flights coming in half empty, hotels busy only at weekends, the villa market struggling, property market static – lots of challenges are happening all over this island in 2024

Maybe we have become complacent but the big talking point as usual is has Ibiza out-priced itself? There’s a few answers to that one but perception and reality are 2 different things. The good news is that it’s still possible to come to Ibiza on a budget (low season, hostals, menu del dia etc) and have an incredible time but the reality is that if you want to live like a rockstar while you’re here then expect to pay accordingly. There is a choice to be made but at least there is a choice.

Throw into the mix some negative press headlines (nothing new there), high flight prices (especially at weekends), hotels holding their nerve with rates and, unlike other resorts, Ibiza in general doesn’t do discounts and tends to stick to its pricing policy. Many accommodation providers would rather their places stay empty than discount to a lower end of the market which brings problems and very little profit margin.

Keeping your powder dry for another day only works if that other day comes and that’s what is concerning Ibiza businesses in 2024. The summer madness will come but for how long? We are almost in July and the island isn’t as busy as we were expecting.

At times like these it’s important to remember the dynamic. Without tourism we are nothing. The radicals won’t like to hear it but it’s the truth. It’s easy to sneer at tourists even though the island relies on them but during these moments it’s more important than ever to appreciate them and treat them with a respect that most do but some don’t deserve.

It’s too easy to point the finger at a ‘certain type’ of tourism but other destinations are no different and in many ways, far worse. As locals there is tendency to roll your eyes at a group of tourists staggering down the street after a long day at a beach club or the morning after a big party. Offensive or abusive behaviour should never be tolerated but scowling at tourists for having a good time isn’t cool either.

As an Ibiza business community we all need to do our bit so next time you see a tourist acting a bit strange or behaving in a fashion that doesn’t fit in with your own, instead of tutting remind yourself that tourists coming to Ibiza and enjoying themselves is what the Island was built on and long may it continue.

A little humility goes a long way so instead of a physical shrug, give those tourists a virtual hug and be thankful that they chose to come to Ibiza. The island is still at the top of the tree and still the coolest destination on the planet but nothing should ever be taken for granted.

Today I launch a new podcast series called ‘My Ibiza Journey’ (links at bottom of page) where I will be chatting to interesting people including Island veterans about how they first came to Ibiza, what it really means to them and how they and the Island have changed over the years.

The series is designed to lift the lid a little on the White Isle and give a personal first hand experience of all that is good and some that isn’t so good about this small island in the Mediterranean that creates headlines all around the world.

During my 30 years on the island I have been fortunate to have a front row seat witnessing the incredible changes that have happened and I’ve never been shy in expressing my views and asking questions about the direction that Ibiza is heading. My ‘Man in San An’ blog has been at the forefront for nearly 10 years and has been viewed nearly a million times by Ibiza lovers (and haters) who appreciate a first hand account and strong opinion.

Everyone’s experience is different and the varied stories on the podcast series are compelling and very personal. How is it that Ibiza can be kind to some yet consume and spit out others? I am always keen to hear about the journey that brought each guest to this moment right now.

The broad spectrum of guests may at first seem random but the connection is that they all have an engaging story to tell and what drives the series is their relationship with a small island that evokes so many emotions and feelings.

The series will run for at least 10 weeks on all platforms (Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, SoundCloud etc) with a new release every week, what I love about podcasts is that they are a great way of communicating. You can listen or download and enjoy them at your leisure – be it when you are at the gym, out for a walk or in your car. Most episodes run at around 40-50 minutes in length which is enough for guests to be able to tell their story but not overly long, I’ve tried to keep the stories ticking along.

This podcast series will not only appeal to true Ibiza lovers with inside knowledge of the island but also to those who have never been before and like to listen to fascinating first hand stories from genuine people who have experienced some incredible things during their lives and want to share their Ibiza journey.

I hope you can take the time to listen and please give feedback wherever possible and if you wish to share your Ibiza journey then you know where to find me.

All episodes are recorded face to face at my studio in San Antonio.

Enjoy and thanks for listening.

LINKS TO LISTEN

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Amazon Music

SoundCloud