Editor’s Letter July 2015 – Ibiza needs YOU.

Its 2015, Ibiza is at an all-time high in terms of tourists visiting, money being made, prices exploding, endless traffic jams and beaches covered in loungers, leaving no space for beach towels.

Everybody is incredibly important and showing off is as essential as recording entire nights with a smartphone. Dancing seems to be a dying amusement and socializing is only practiced via the antisocial networks. A party, promoter or artist is ranked by the amount of ‘friends’ and ‘likes’ and if you are not in the top ten on Google search you are nobody anyway.

Luxury yachts spread all over the sea ripping the Posidonia out with their anchors, private jets invade the airport even if they are only chartered from Mallorca to give the impression of being super rich, as super sports cars invade our streets – all with the purpose to outplay possible competitors at any cost. Garbage is spread all over our beaches; the waysides of our streets are covered in cans, cigarette butts and plastic bags.

On the other hand living in Ibiza is getting more and more difficult, rental prices are at an all-time high, living costs are exploding and the wages are at the same sad level as they were years ago, plus the working conditions are as bad as they can be during the high season. This, all together, sums up to a lethal cocktail that makes it almost impossible for seasonal workers to come to the promised land – years ago you could make good money while working your ass off and spend a relaxed winter anywhere you came from, nowadays lots of people come and pay to work – wtf?

What Ibiza needs is people that actually care about the island, that contribute something to its preservation as a tourist destination and an all-year-paradise to live in while getting a fair treatment in terms of wages, housing and living costs. The good news is – change is happening! Ibiza town just voted its youngest Mayor of all times, we got our DJ as his Deputy and institutions like the IPF actually make a difference. We have interviewed them and the Deputy in this issue, and we invite you to do the same, be a part of the island, use it – don’t abuse it, and ensure a healthy and beautiful future for this unique place we call our home – Ibiza.