I’m a travel expert – some of the protests in Spain make me sick and I support Airbnb | World | News

Since April, many of Spain’s most visited destinations by tourists have been hit by protests against overtourism, particularly in the archipelagos of the Balearic and Canary Islands and on mainland Barcelona and Malaga.

Following the lifting of travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of visitors to Spanish destinations has soared, bringing huge benefits to the economy as tourism accounts for over 13 percent of employment and over 11 percent of GDP. according to CaizaBank research.

However, local governments and residents believe that, rather than preserving the sites, overtourism has contributed to a reduced quality of life and increased costs of living for residents.

As a result, protests against excessive tourism take place across the country several times a month.

However, one travel expert has expressed concern that a greater number of these protests have led to direct confrontations with the tourists themselves, despite many of the groups claiming that they are not against the tourists, but against the tourism model that is unsustainable makes growth possible.

In July, a protest took place in Barcelona, ​​attended by around 3,000 people. Some protesters used tape to block off hotel exits and shut down restaurants in public squares.

Some even resorted to spraying tourists with water guns while they sat in restaurants. The move was later criticized by Spain’s tourism minister, who described the protester’s actions as reprehensible, but claimed the incident had been “exaggerated” by the international press.

Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations internationally said his company has taken the position for almost a decade that they don’t believe in boycotts or protests. Instead, they believe in working with those who are marginalized in the affected communities and thus creating change.

Speaking to Express.co.uk about the protests in Barcelona, ​​Mr Welsh said: “The protests that have taken place in Barcelona, ​​where people were literally eating with their families, perhaps enjoying an opportunity that they have been waiting for all their lives have been waiting Go to, and they are responsible tourists, and they (are) attacked with water guns by groups of people… I find that sickening. I find that behavior appalling.”

He continued: “Especially knowing what Barcelona has done to the point where they have worked with city governments and moved their convention and meeting complex out of the core, they have really tried to control growth and create responsible tourism for their residents. community”.

As a former hotelier, Mr. Welsh added that he knows that when hotels are developed, they do so “in partnership with the city.”

“They have zoning, they have insurance responsibilities, they have to adhere to the hotel requirements in that community.”

Mr Welsh also revealed that he is a strong supporter of Airbnb, “because they support the overall tourism economy”.

However, “until one can control or regulate in some way how these non-traditional combinations are managed, to me that may be one of the key areas that you need to work on.”

Last weekend, as part of simultaneous protests in the Canary Islands attended by thousands of people, hundreds of demonstrators stormed a beach in Tenerife, surrounded by shocked sunbathers.

Residents deviated from the expected route and marched on Troya Beach, a popular spot in the south of the island. Footage reportedly showed a couple stuck on their beach towel in their swimsuits as protesters passed on all sides, waving banners that appeared to read “Jediondos” – Spanish slang for “stinking odor.”

Other holidaymakers were seen leaving the area as it was overwhelmed by angry locals.

Canary Islander Veronica Quintero said of protest: “What they did was extraordinary. We must fight for quality tourism, but not against those who come here.

“We shouldn’t fuck the tourist who is on the beach because he paid for an offer.”

Organizers of the protests said they expected more than 100,000 people to attend, with Ivan Cerdena Molina, a member of local environmental organization ATAN, revealing to Express.co.uk that they were “going to bring speakers, we’re going to drop by the bars , (hotel) terraces and tell people what our problems are.”

“We’re going to say ‘you’re swimming in s***’, you’re making our house prices higher and the industry behind you (doesn’t help the island).”

“I understand the need for protest, especially civil protest… as long as it is done in a respectful, civil manner,” Mr Welsh concluded.

“I don’t think it’s fair for a protest to spill over to the people who are there, hopefully responsible people, who are having lunch or dinner in a restaurant with their friends and family. That’s where I think it crossed the line.”

“It ends up influencing people to mind their own business and show respect for life in an establishment. In that respect I don’t think it’s fair.”

Destinations International is “the world’s leading resource for destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards.”