Latest news with #FranciscoUbilla
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Spain holiday latest as locals blast ‘outrageous' prices and cancel trips amid chilling ‘tourist go home' protest fury
SPAIN is a firm favourite for Irish holidayers chasing the sunshine - but soaring prices and overcrowding have blocked locals from enjoying their own country. Furious locals have been forced to cancel their own staycations as an unprecedented tourist boom sees millions flock to 4 Members of the Mallorca Platja Tour association demonstrate against overtourism in Palma Credit:4 Spaniards blame tourists for the spiralling cost of living crisis Credit: REUTERS/Francisco Ubilla And anti-tourism exacerbated by mass tourism. Thousands have Visitors were blocked from popular beaches and tourist attractions, Chilling READ MORE IN TRAVEL Tourists were even Jet2 chief Steve Heapy said: "Protesters are becoming increasingly vocal, and that's making some people question whether now is the right time to go." And tourists have taken to One person said: "A holiday is a time of relaxation, time with the family, having to worry about the locals reaction and protest would spoil your enjoyment." MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN Another added: "We had a holiday booked to Spain storm and hail warning as 100mm of rain falls in an hour at tourist hotspot But Spain still remains the most popular holiday destination for Irish people with over 2.5 million visits made each year. And Spain's top 25 Mediterranean and Atlantic coast destinations saw local tourism drop by 800,000 last year whilst foreign visitors rose by a whopping 1.94 million. Speaking to Reuters, 26-year-old Spaniard Wendy Davis blasted the "outrageous" prices of holidaying in her own country. Hotel prices have rises 23 per cent in the past years to an average of €136 a night whilst beachfront rentals have climbed 20.3 per cent in two years. Wendy cancelled a trip to the south coast for a cheaper visit to inland Spain this summer. Wendy said: "The whole Spanish coast is very expensive. Now you don't go on holiday wherever you want, but wherever you can." LESSER-KNOWN SPOTS Many Spanish locals are now flocking to lesser-known destinations inland. Tecnitasa Group President Jose Maria Basanez said: "It is becoming increasingly difficult for Spanish holidaymakers to afford beachfront tourism rentals." Last month, anti-tourism campaigners were heard yelling out "tourism is terrorism" and "tourists go home" as Balearic Islands Government vice-president Antoni Costa said their behaviour had been 'unacceptable.' Claiming hundreds of thousands of local jobs would be lost if politicians pandered to the wishes of activists calling for 'tourist degrowth,' he added: 'Abandoning tourism would be madness. "We're a tourist economy and we're proud to be so. 'I think people are deluding themselves if they think that in the Balearic Islands it's possible to do mostly other things than tourism. 'What guarantees the future of tourism is to taking into account the social and environmental sustainability factor. Looking the other way is not the right way to go. 'We must implement policies that allow us to move from an economy that basically grows in volume to an economy that grows in value.' 4 Acitivists stopped a tourist bus with water pistols in Barcelona earlier this year Credit: REUTERS/Bruna Casas 4 Spain locals can no longer afford coastal holidays in their own country Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
The Irish Sun
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Spain hol chaos latest after fuming locals threaten to BLOCK busy airport amid protest mayhem & ‘tourist go home' alert
SPANISH union bosses have issued an update after threatening to launch strikes in hotels across the Balearic Islands this month. The unions 7 Demonstrators take part in a protest against mass tourism in Palma last month Credit: AFP via Getty Images 7 Protests against overtourism have erupted across Spain since April 2024 Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images 7 Spanish union bosses threatened to blockade Palma's busy airport later this month Credit: Getty Images And hotels, restaurants and clubs in the The unions announcement yesterday of chaos-causing demos in airport arrivals and departures led to last-minute talks with employer representatives and a 13.5 pay increase offer union bosses accepted. And, just hours after threatening to blockade the airport on July 10, union bosses confirmed they have called off the Balearic Islands hotel strike that was due to affect Irish holidaymakers. UGT Balears, one of the two main unions behind the planned walkout over five days in July, confirmed overnight: "The strike in the hotel and catering sector has been called off following the pre-agreement between us and hotel bosses for the new collective agreement. READ MORE IN TRAVEL 'Salary increase of 13.5 per cent in three years, the largest increase in the history of the Balearic Islands." The Majorca Hotel Business Federation confirmed around the same time: "An agreement in principle has been reached and the UGT has agreed to desist from the strikes it had announced and cancel them." Second union CCOO is now expected to come on board along with employer representatives in the bar-restaurant and nightclub sectors which would also have been affected by strikes although to a lesser degree. The final agreement sealing the eleventh-hour deal is expected to be signed next week. Most read in News Travel The airport blockade threat is thought to have been key to the decision of unions and hotel employer representatives in Majorca to start negotiating again after the breakdown of talks and strike announcements last Thursday. Emergency alarm raised at Majorca airport after roof collapses The UGT announced around midday yesterday a demonstration at Palma airport would take place on the first day of planned strike action on July 10 'in both the departures and arrivals areas.' It added in a statement: 'The aim is to 'block these accesses' to the Balearic capital's aerodrome.' It also announced demonstrations in other key tourists areas including Walkouts involving an expected 180,000 hotel and catering sector workers in The salary rise over three years will see workers get six per cent extra this year, four per cent next and 3.5 per cent in 2027. 7 Hotel workers in the Balearics earn less than the average hospitality worker in Spain Credit: Getty Images 7 Protesters chant slogans at tourists as National Police officers stand guard in Palma Credit: REUTERS/Francisco Ubilla Last week an eleventh-hour deal was announced to avert the threat of hotel strike action in The lifting of the strike threat in the Balearic Islands is not expected to impact on A massive anti-tourist demonstration took place in Around 100 noisy activists banging drums surrounded upmarket eatery Cappuccino Borne next to a McDonald's in the centre of Palma after their protest finished. of dining tourists and chanted "go home" and "go to hell ". Police moved in to ease tension as the demonstrators held up cardboard posters reading: 'As You Come, I Have To Go.' The protestors also chanted ''The Streets Will Always Be Ours', Go Home' in English and 'No Balconing' in a reference to the young tourists who have traditionally been blamed by islanders for the dangerous practice of jumping from Magaluf hotel balconies into their swimming pools or trying to climb between balconies while under the influence of drink and drugs. The Balearics Islands Government vice-president Antoni Costa said afterwards their behaviour had been 'unacceptable.' 7 The streets of Majorca have seen a number of protests against overtourism since the start of the year Credit: REUTERS/Francisco Ubilla 7 Demonstrators hold 'For sale' signs during a protest against mass tourism in Palma last month Credit: Getty Images
Scottish Sun
16-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Spain hotels targeted & sunseekers surrounded in ‘unacceptable' protest chaos amid ‘tourism is terrorism' alert to Irish
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FUMING Spanish locals yesterday surrounded a hotel and targeted tourists with water guns as mass protests unfolded across the country. Campaigners were heard yelling out "tourism is terrorism" and "tourists go home" as the marches kicked off in multiple cities. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Activists and residents marched to demand measures against mass tourism Credit: EPA/CATI CLADERA 6 Protesters shout anti-tourism slogans at tourists sitting at a bar in Palma Credit: REUTERS/Francisco Ubilla 6 Police moved in to ease tensions Credit: Splash News Campaigners blame excessive levels of tourism for forcing locals out of affordable housing, raising the cost of living and making the city centres unusable. And, after thousands turned out for coordinated protests across Europe yesterday, regional governors have criticised the anti-tourist protesters who targeted foreign holidaymakers enjoying evening meals at the end of their march in Majorca yesterday. Around 100 noisy activists banging drums surrounded upmarket eatery Cappuccino Borne next to a McDonald's in the centre of Palma after their protest finished. Police moved in to ease tension as the demonstrators held up cardboard posters reading: 'As You Come I Have To Go.' The protesters also chanted ''The Streets Will Always Be Ours', Go Home' in English and 'No Balconing' in a reference to the young tourists who have traditionally been blamed by islanders for the dangerous practice of jumping from Magaluf hotel balconies into their swimming pools or trying to climb between balconies while under the influence of drink and drugs. Today the Balearic Islands Government vice-president Antoni Costa said their behaviour had been 'unacceptable.' He admitted they had represented a small minority of the estimated 8,000 people police said had taken to the streets yesterday evening. But Mr Costa told a local radio station: 'This type of behaviour is not acceptable. "This government condemns and rejects the actions of a small minority of people who rebuked tourists who were relaxing on a terrace having a drink or eating.' Claiming hundreds of thousands of local jobs would be lost if politicians pandered to the wishes of activists calling for 'tourist degrowth,' he added: 'Abandoning tourism would be madness. Anti-tourist protesters blast holidaymakers with water guns & block hotels "We're a tourist economy and we're proud to be so. 'I think people are deluding themselves if they think that in the Balearic Islands it's possible to do mostly other things than tourism. 'What guarantees the future of tourism is to taking into account the social and environmental sustainability factor. Looking the other way is not the right way to go. 'We must implement policies that allow us to move from an economy that basically grows in volume to an economy that grows in value.' WHAT IS OVERTOURISM? OVERTOURISM refers to the phenomenon where a destination experiences a volume of tourists that exceeds its manageable capacity The term is often used to describe the negative consequences of mass tourism, which includes overcrowding and environmental issues As a result, popular destinations have become less enjoyable for both visitors and locals Local communities, in particular, bear the brunt, facing rising costs and a depletion of resources In response, national and local governments have started to implement measures to reduce overtourism. Some solutions include: Safeguarding historical and heritage sites Promoting off-peak travel Tourism caps and regulations Promoting lesser-known destinations Gabriel Llobera, president of the Association of Hotel Chains in the Balearic Islands, also condemned the incidents at the end of the march yesterday in Palma. He said: 'The tourists that were targeted were sat on terraces provided by business leaders who to be able to receive them have paid their taxes and done things correctly. 'We condemn the anti-social acts we saw yesterday.' He added: 'We have almost 200,000 people who are working directly in the tourist sector and we're talking about 8,000 people attending a demonstration. 'If we have a million people in the Balearic Islands that's 0.8 per cent.' SMOKE FLARE THROWN INTO HOTEL The ugly scenes that marred the end of yesterday's march in Palma followed incidents in Barcelona earlier in the day when anti-tourist protesters there surrounded a hotel and targeted holidaymakers with water pistols. Locals also used flares after congregating outside the front door of the establishment with placards claiming tourism was pricing them out of housing and robbing them of their futures. Staff at Generator Barcelona, a design hotel-hostel near to the fashionable Paseo de Gracia, had to intervene and were seen shouting at the protesters to move away. Local reports said an orange smoke flare had been thrown into the reception area, although no-one is thought to have been injured. COPS STEPPED IN Police stepped in to stop protesters reaching the city's famous Sagrada Familia and avoid clashes between the demonstrators and tourists visiting the Gaudi landmark. Shouts of 'Tourists Go Home' and 'One More Tourist, One Less Local' could be heard as activists marched through the streets. They also yelled out: 'This tourism is terrorism.' City police said only 600 people had taken part, far less than the 8,000 who took part in the protest in Palma according to police although organisers put the figure at around 30,000. Other marches took place in the Basque city of San Sebastian, several cities in Italy and in Lisbon as part of a co-ordinated series of street protests in southern Europe against the problems activists say mass tourism causes. 6 Police said an estimated 8,000 people attended the demonstration yesterday Credit: Splash News 6 A woman holds a sign reading 'Tourists go home' during Palma's demonstration Credit: Getty Images
The Irish Sun
16-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Spain hotels targeted & sunseekers surrounded in ‘unacceptable' protest chaos amid ‘tourism is terrorism' alert to Irish
FUMING Spanish locals yesterday surrounded a hotel and targeted tourists with water guns as mass protests unfolded across the country. Campaigners were heard yelling out "tourism is terrorism" and "tourists go home" as the marches kicked off in multiple cities. 6 Activists and residents marched to demand measures against mass tourism Credit: EPA/CATI CLADERA 6 Protesters shout anti-tourism slogans at tourists sitting at a bar in Palma Credit: REUTERS/Francisco Ubilla 6 Police moved in to ease tensions Credit: Splash News Campaigners for forcing locals out of affordable housing, raising the cost of living and making the city centres unusable. And, after Around 100 noisy activists banging drums surrounded upmarket eatery Cappuccino Borne next to a McDonald's in the centre of Police moved in to ease tension as the demonstrators held up cardboard posters reading: 'As You Come I Have To Go.' READ MORE IN TRAVEL The protesters also chanted ''The Streets Will Always Be Ours', Go Home' in English and 'No Balconing' in a reference to the young tourists who have traditionally been blamed by islanders for the dangerous practice of jumping from Magaluf hotel balconies into their swimming pools or trying to climb between balconies while under the influence of drink and drugs. Today the Balearic Islands Government vice-president Antoni Costa said their behaviour had been 'unacceptable.' He admitted they had represented a small minority of the estimated 8,000 people police said had taken to the streets yesterday evening. But Mr Costa told a local radio station: 'This type of behaviour is not acceptable. Most read in News Travel "This government condemns and rejects the actions of a small minority of people who rebuked tourists who were relaxing on a terrace having a drink or eating.' Claiming hundreds of thousands of local jobs would be lost if politicians pandered to the wishes of activists calling for 'tourist degrowth,' he added: 'Abandoning tourism would be madness. Anti-tourist protesters blast holidaymakers with water guns & block hotels "We're a tourist economy and we're proud to be so. 'I think people are deluding themselves if they think that in the Balearic Islands it's possible to do mostly other things than tourism. 'What guarantees the future of tourism is to taking into account the social and environmental sustainability factor. Looking the other way is not the right way to go. 'We must implement policies that allow us to move from an economy that basically grows in volume to an economy that grows in value.' WHAT IS OVERTOURISM? OVERTOURISM refers to the phenomenon where a destination experiences a volume of tourists that exceeds its manageable capacity The term is often used to describe the negative consequences of mass tourism, which includes overcrowding and environmental issues As a result, popular destinations have become less enjoyable for both visitors and locals Local communities, in particular, bear the brunt, facing rising costs and a depletion of resources In response, national and local governments have started to implement measures to reduce overtourism. Some solutions include: Safeguarding historical and heritage sites Promoting off-peak travel Tourism caps and regulations Promoting lesser-known destinations Gabriel Llobera, president of the Association of Hotel Chains in the Balearic Islands, also condemned the incidents at the end of the march yesterday in Palma. He said: 'The tourists that were targeted were sat on terraces provided by business leaders who to be able to receive them have paid their taxes and done things correctly. 'We condemn the anti-social acts we saw yesterday.' He added: 'We have almost 200,000 people who are working directly in the tourist sector and we're talking about 8,000 people attending a demonstration. 'If we have a million people in the Balearic Islands that's 0.8 per cent.' SMOKE FLARE THROWN INTO HOTEL The ugly scenes that marred the end of yesterday's march in Palma followed Locals also used flares after congregating outside the front door of the establishment with placards claiming tourism was pricing them out of housing and robbing them of their futures. Staff at Generator Local reports said an orange smoke flare had been thrown into the reception area, although no-one is thought to have been injured. COPS STEPPED IN Police stepped in to stop protesters reaching the city's Shouts of 'Tourists Go Home' and 'One More Tourist, One Less Local' could be heard as activists marched through the streets. They also yelled out: 'This tourism is terrorism.' City police said only 600 people had taken part, far less than the 8,000 who took part in the protest in Palma according to police although organisers put the figure at around 30,000. Other marches took place in the Basque city of San Sebastian, several cities in Italy and in Lisbon as part of a co-ordinated series of street protests in southern Europe against the problems activists say mass tourism causes. 6 Police said an estimated 8,000 people attended the demonstration yesterday Credit: Splash News 6 A woman holds a sign reading 'Tourists go home' during Palma's demonstration Credit: Getty Images 6 The march in Mallorca was the biggest of the different gatherings held as part of a coordinated call in different cities Credit: EPA/CATI CLADERA
