UKC

With the continent sweltering under a heatwave nicknamed Lucifer, tempers have been boiling over, too, as a wave of anti-tourism protests take place in some of Europe’s most popular destinations. Yet, as “tourism-phobia” becomes a feature of the summer, the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has defended the sector, calling on local authorities to do more to manage growth in a sustainable manner.

The focal point for much of this has been Spain, which had a record 75.6 million tourists last year, including 17.8 million from the UK. In Barcelona, where tensions have been rising for years over the unchecked surge in visitors and impact of sites such as Airbnb on the local housing market, Arran, the youth wing of the radical CUP (Popular Unity Candidacy), have been filmed slashing the tyres of rental bicycles and a tour bus. An Arran spokesperson told the BBC: “Today’s model of tourism expels people from their neighbourhoods and harms the environment.” Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy described the group as “extremists”.

There have also been protests in Mallorca and San Sebastián, where an anti-tourism march is planned for 17 August, to coincide with Semana Grande – a major festival of Basque culture.

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/aug/10/anti-tourism-marches-spread-...

Interesting, strikes me as killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

ETR: Grocer's apostrophe...

In reply to Big Ger:

I live near Loch Lomond, and it can get really busy ( not as bad as Windermere though).

I really enjoy talking with the mix of visitors as I cycle around, but then I cycle home well away from the really busy areas so I don't really see the negative side for some residents , I just hear about it, or read about it in the local paper.

There is a proposal to build a Flamingo Land complex at Balloch that is meeting with a lot of local objections, I guess it will be built, but hopefully there will be concessions won by the locals to minimise disruption, and also preserve as many of the trees in the area designated.

If it is going to be built in a National park, perhaps better there on the edge and in an area that is already ' spoiled' by the Lomond Shores, shops, Aquarium,/ Cinema , Boat/ bike hire, Tree Zone climbing, Bird of prey centre, crazy golf ( and soon to be, a wedding venue )
I'm sure the local residents don't agree with me though.

In reply to Big Ger:

I suppose it's only a golden egg if you're benefiting from it. Many will see the loss of the local ambience, (something some Brexiteers voted against), as well as a rise in house prices, which force locals out, thereby compounding the problem.

Here in Brittany there are lots of Brits. Many are in isolated pockets and some towns have become very "anglocised". Some have lived here for decades and can hardly speak a word of French beyond bonjour, merci and s.v.p. Personally, it's something I don't get, why come here? We deliberately chose a spot with less British and have tried to integrate as much as we can. When we have British and French guests at our B&B the language spoken around the dinner table is predominantly French. After all, it is France and what would most British people say if they were in a B&B in Cornwall and French was the language being spoken?

I'm sure some would think or even say, "Excuse me, but this is my effing country!"

In reply to Hugh J:

We are guilty English. Moved to Wales over 30 years ago, live in a village with many other English and hardly speak a word of Welsh.

In reply to Big Ger:

There are still so many places in the world where towerists don't go at all. For example Nigeria, a fascinating country with a nice climate from the old British hill station of Jos northwards. They have the Kainji national park but unfortunately all the wild animals have been eaten and there are many other improvements needed before people will go there for fun. Imagine how tourism would benefit local economies; unbelieveable amounts of cash flowing into rural economies where people are just about surviving by subsistence farming.

In reply to Big Ger:


Was it something I said?

In reply to Big Ger:

Given that Spain has one of the lowest per capita GDPs of the larger EU countries and that over 11% of their GDP comes from tourism I'd imagine that the Spanish government are hoping these protests will fade away pretty quickly. As for it only being a golden egg if you benefit from it, I'd say the entire population of Spain benefit. That said, I'd be pretty fed up if Spanish tourists behaved the same way in the U.K. as many Brits do over there.

In reply to Jonathan Emett:


Apologies.