Government calls halt to Ibiza's non-stop party scene (News Feature)

By Hubert Kahl Sep 10, 2008, 2:06 GMT

Madrid/Ibiza - Dancing the night away and partying and until exhaustion is what the holiday island of Ibiza is all about for many nightclub lovers.

The clubs and discos with their shows and star DJs turn the Balearic Island into Europe's party metropolis every summer.

But this year held an unpleasant surprise for clubbers: the time of neverending parties in Ibiza is over.

The island's government instructed local councils to restrict opening times and ban disco parties during the early hours.

Put simply, Ibiza made it illegal for clubs to open when other clubs closed their doors for the night at around 6 am.

The after-hours clubs allowed tourists to party day and night. Often, the only way for young men and women to make it through these non-stop parties was by taking stimulants.

This led to Ibiza gaining a reputation as a drugs paradise. British tabloids talked about 'Sodom and Gomorrah' on the Spanish island.

This year, however, local authorities shortened the long Ibiza nights. The ban on after-hours clubbing is designed to restrict parties, fight drug consumption and polish the island's reputation.

'We had to decide what kind of tourism we want here,' said Xico Tarres, head of the Ibiza government.

'It's good to have music and clubs. But do we want people who come to the island for just two days, don't even check into a hotel and party non-stop with the help of pills?'

With the high season drawing to an end, Tarres believes the clampdown has paid dividends. 'Thanks to the new regulations, only half as many drug users were given emergency treatment in hospitals this year compared to last year.'

Tourism Commissioner Pepa Mari Ribas said there were also fewer drunks or drug-takers falling from the balconies of their hotels.

In the Ibiza party scene, however, the restrictions have drawn criticism. 'It's absurd. There are after hours-clubs all over Spain, but none in Ibiza,' said Cesar de Melero, one of Spain's most famous DJs.

Nightclub owner Jose Maria Echaniz said: 'It's mistake to count solely on family tourism. Ibiza is different to other holiday resorts. The class of its clubs has made the island special.'

The tourism industry complained that the number of tourists dropped by 5-7 per cent this year compared to last. Shop and pub owners have reported a decline in profits of 20-30 per cent.

But this has nothing to do with the ban on after-hours clubs, according to Tarres.

'We get 2 million tourists here every year. If fewer holidaymakers are coming, this is due to the increased cost of travel,' the Spanish daily El Pais quoted him as saying.