Brits are vowing to never go to Spain again, in the wake of continuing protests against mass tourism.
Spain is in the grip of a wave of anti-tourist mania, as local residents in popular resorts take to the streets to vent their anger at the ever increasing number of holiday makers.
Huge rallies involving tens of thousands of people have taken place in both the Canary and Balearic Islands, some of the most popular destinations for sun seekers.
In the latest event, hundreds of activists invaded a Majorca beach last weekend, in an attempt to reclaim it from tourists.
The ongoing protests are creating a hostile environment which now appears to be deterring people from visiting Spain.
One told GB News: “We’ve been going to Tenerife twice a year for many years, but never again – just booked two weeks in the Caribbean for February 2025. Hopefully they will appreciate us a little more.”
While another said: “Unfortunately, I booked Lanzarote months ago (before I knew about them moaning about English tourists) for January 2025, but I certainly won’t be going to any Spanish Island or Spain after that.
“I was in Rhodes last month. People are much more friendly than the Spanish.”
Protest organisers have insisted that they are not targeting tourists per se, but want to highlight the problems faced by locals due to a lack of proper infrastructure.
In particular they argue that residents are being priced out of the property market due to investors snapping up accommodation, which they then rent out to tourists.
They also point out that mass tourism is damaging the environment and placing huge strains on water supplies, exacerbating shortages caused by a prolonged drought.
Andalucia, for example, has now endured drought conditions for six years, with reservoirs at 21 percent of their capacity at the beginning of 2024.
Many Brits have sympathy with the problems faced by local communities in popular Spanish resorts.
In a post to his X social media account, Jonathan Hunt said: “This isn’t about hating tourists.
“It’s about a lack of accommodation and resource for the working population which relies upon the tourist trade.
“We won’t be ‘boycotting’ Lanzarote any time soon. Entitled people moaning about not being appreciated sounds a touch colonial to me.”