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"Turismophobia": Europe's Holiday Hatred Jake Sedgwick analyses the grudges that locals hold for the constant European tourism.
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n recent years, many European tourist destinations, such as Barcelona, Lisbon and Milan, have seen an unprecedented wave of anti-tourism protests.The main causes of the demonstrations are due to large increases in local housing prices and the overuse of public spaces surrounding famous landmarks. However, local citizens have shown their outrage in some rather unusual ways. In Barcelona, an anti-tourist group called Arran, have been slashing tyres of rental cars and breaking windows of five-star hotels. There have been demonstrations featuring banners that read “Barcelona no está en venda” (Barcelona is not for sale), and “El turisme mata els barris” (Tourism kills neighbourhoods). Many Barcelona city officials have been outspoken in their views on the
“Local citizens show their outrage in some rather unusual ways”
negative impacts of tourism on their city including comments suggesting that they prefer immigrants over tourists. In Lisbon, there are bans on selling homes to foreigners and a significantly reduced supply of building permits for new hotels. Increasingly empty bottles, cardboard boxes, plastic cups and containers overflowing with trash have been found littered across streets and pathways of Lisbon. Last year, transport was a real problem in the Portuguese capital, as tickets were few and far between during peak times of the summer. In Milan, there have been bans on selfie sticks, plastic bottles and other tourist related items in order to avoid tourist related injuries and general
Tourists crowded on a small quay in Mykonos, Greece
