Yahoo News Brits call for 'boycott' on summer holidays to Spain in anti-tourism row
British holidaymakers have been left reconsidering their usual destinations amid increasing protests against high tourism numbers in summer hotspots.
Last month, UK visitors heading to Spain were warned that they may encounter a hostile reception as thousands of people gathered in Majorca's (Mallorca) capital city Palma to protest the impact of tourism on the Balearic Island. And such protests are set to continue throughout the height of summer holiday season, with locals expected to march through the streets of Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera in July.
There have also been mass protests across the Canary Islands in recent months, with Brits advised that they could find a "frosty atmosphere" when visiting this year. And the growing anti-tourism sentiment is having an impact, with some UK holidaymakers calling for a "boycott" on trips to the popular Spanish summer destinations, BirminghamLive reports.
One British tourist griped on social media: "All UK travel agents should cancel holidays to Spain, Majorca and Tenerife due to non-friendly actions against their clients."
"Going to Tenerife next Saturday and will spend our money locally. We have no control over wages, housing or the building of hotels and accommodation. Ask the locals who have either sold or rented their homes," another wrote.
And a third said: "Notably the Spanish aren't slow in taking holidaymakers' money though." And someone else agreed: "Seems some folks like to bite the hands that feed them."
In May, approximately 10,000 protesters marched through the streets of Palma to highlight issues including overcrowding, destruction of the island, and a lack of protection for residents, claiming that the current tourism model is "pushing Majorca to the limit", according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin. More than 2.3 million Brits jet off to Majorca each year, accounting for around a quarter of the island's tourist traffic.
Més per Mallorca, the Majorcan coalition, is calling for a reduction in the number of flights at Palma airport, saying: "Majorca is no longer overcrowded, Majorca is experiencing collapse." In the face of mounting "social unrest", the Balearic Government has begun meetings to "lay the foundations for a new tourism model" and combat congestion on the islands.
Earlier in the month, crowds of more than 50,000 people participated in mass tourism protests across all seven of the Canary Islands, holding signs with messages such as "The Canary Islands are not for sale!", "A moratorium on tourism," and "Respect my home." According to ETIAS, the groups are calling on authorities to control how many people visit the islands.
The Canary Islands had almost 14 million foreign visitors in 2023, an increase of 13% on the year before, and 40% of its residents work in the tourism sector, which accounts for 36% of the islands' economy. However, some protesters feel that this tourism levels are unsustainable because the islands do not have enough resources for it to keep going.
Protests have also been seen on mainland Spain in recent months in the likes of Barcelona and Malaga, with residents complaining about housing shortages, excessive noise and environmental damage caused by over-tourism. Some cities are already taking steps to deal with overcrowding, such as restricting group tour sizes and not allowing loudspeakers during tours.
