Abstract

The narrative of Ibiza as the playground of much of Europe’s youth, masks the rather more complex everyday experience of people living on the island. Dystopian consequences result from the endless waves of tourists which include little time and space amongst the local population for putting down deeper social roots with the tourists, and the cyclical fluctuation of economic activity produces a level of instability and insecurity. Tourist and local resident are often locked in a symbiotic relationship that precludes meaningful social interaction beyond the transaction.