Ibiza Tourism Officials Annoyed With Mike Posner's Hit Single

Tourism chiefs in Ibiza are reportedly annoyed at Mike Posner’s current hit single for stereotyping the island. ‘I Took a Pill in Ibiza’ recently hit the top of the UK charts when it was remixed by Norwegian duo SeeB, and caused controversy when it was playlisted at Radio 1.

The remix has been a huge success in Europe and the US, but although the song’s lyrics clearly follow the negative consequences of taking ecstasy, those in charge of the tourist board of the Mediterranean island resent Ibiza being characterised by debauchery and hedonism, suggesting that it has much more to offer than just partying.

“We have invited the author of this song to discover Ibiza because we have much more to offer besides the nightlife which is known worldwide,” the island’s tourism director Vicent Ferrer told AFP, desperate to shed Ibiza’s reputation. 2.5 million tourists visit each summer, with roughly a third of those from Britain.

Mike Posner's 'I Took a Pill in Ibiza' has annoyed tourist officials on the Mediterranean island

“We have museums, beaches, culture, gastronomy, we have a wide offer but unfortunately we have been typecast this way. Unfortunately someone who wants to consume pills or alcohol can be found in any tourist destination, the fact that it is only us who are pigeonholed does not seem fair.”

The music video features a man with a papier-mache head going out clubbing, having sex in toilets, helping a friend as he’s being sick, pretty much hitting every club-bound cliché in the book and following the same kind of ploy as The Prodigy’s infamous 'Smack My B**** Up' video from 1997 – though the lyrics “you don’t want to be high like me” show that the song is meant as a cautionary tale rather than a celebration.

Last year, MTV was forced to drop plans for a reality TV show on the island amid fears of the damage it could do to Ibiza’s reputation. The show proposed to put numerous young people in a holiday home with a limitless supply of booze, while filming the ensuing carnage.

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