Some British tourists have had enough of Spain as parts of Majorca were quieter than usual over the bank holiday weekend.
Holidaymakers have said they will boycott the country amid the rules and protests targeting Britons.
Parts of the island were “half empty if that” and business owners have shared their concerns over the lack of tourists, local reports in Majorca Daily Bulletin stated.
Owner of Moving to Spain Alison Johnson said: “It was reported this week that Magaluf, known for its lively and vibrant nightlife, was ‘half empty’ despite being the start of the holiday season.
Majorca had more protests last week
PA
“This caused some bar owners to speak out and reiterate that tourism is needed to keep businesses afloat and that they are worried people have been put off visiting the island because of the ongoing protests.”
Recently, parts of Spain including Magaluf and Ibiza introduced strict drinking laws where alcohol can only be bought from shops between 8am and 9.30pm.
The restrictions, effective immediately, were put in place to reduce anti-social behaviour from tourists.
This has come as anti-tourist protests have taken place across Spain, including in Majorca where last week locals marched through the streets and told visitors to “go home”.
This, alongside the new rules, appears to have annoyed some tourists who commented they would now avoid Spain as a result.
One GB News reader said: “There is anti-British feeling in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal… etc.”
Another penned: “Their country, their rules, their economy that’s dependent on tourism, especially British tourists, go somewhere else and watch the Spanish economy collapse, because of their bad attitude towards us, with a smile on your face.”
One more said: “If they don’t want our money it will be taken elsewhere”, while another agreed stating: “Hope all the English do boycott Spain”.
One more said: “Don’t go there anyway, would rather holiday in the UK.” Another added: “No such ban on English resorts. Staycations are much better.”
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Magaluf is usually busy in the spring and summer months
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However, others were quick to defend the holiday destination. One said: “Every year I go to Spain with my friends for a short break but I’ve never had any animosity towards any one of us. It’s just maybe a very small percentage of the Spanish.”
A second agreed: “The types of [tourists] complaining they can’t drink excessively as if it’s the highlight of their lives are in every country I’m afraid, and no one is a fan of them but themselves… Don’t blame [Spain] for wanting to do something about it.”
Alison added: “With Spanish tourism booming, it has sparked concern amongst locals who are worried about over-tourism. Over recent weeks, protests have taken place across the likes of Majorca, Lanzarote and Tenerife, with locals demanding that the government take action and rethink the tourism model.
“In our experience, locals don’t want an end to tourism – they want a balance that respects their right to live in the places we love to visit.”
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