Spanish city launches new tourist crackdown that will impact 1000s of Brits

Posted by Admin October 19, 2024 Travel

A TOURIST hotspot in Spain has slammed holidaymakers with fresh restrictions – will you be affected?

Brits dreaming of jetting off to Seville are set to be impacted by the new rules, which will see a clamp down on Airbnb-style accommodation.

A tourist hotspot in Spain has slammed holidaymakers with fresh restrictionsCredit: Getty

The controversial regulations raised eyebrows as they were announced on Thursday.

It means the number of tourist apartments in each neighbourhood can’t exceed 10 per cent of total homes.

This will significantly impact areas such as Triana, that are already overrun with tourists, where no new licences will be granted.

Urban Planning delegate, Juan de la Rosa, said the move hopes to forge more reconciliation between tourism and disgruntled locals who feel pushed out.

But, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party hit back and said new rules should have be even “tougher and more ambitious”.

Under the fresh policy, 23,000 licences could still be granted in areas with less tourists.

It comes after government in Barcelona stripped 10,000 tourist flats of their licence to the fury of Airbnb owners.

And, in June, the mayor of the Catalan capital announced a full ban in holiday apartments by November 2028 in an attempt to relieve the city’s housing crisis.

The famous city also revealed there would be an increase on daily tourist charges.

It comes after the cosmopolitan capital previously upped their traveller tax from €2.75 (£2.33) to €3.25 (£2.75) in April.

Brits on Tenerife holidays blasted for turning sunny haven into a ‘tourism ghetto’ amid calls for huge clampdown

By Summer Raemason

FUMING locals have slammed selfish holidaymakers in Tenerife for turning their paradise into a ‘tourism ghetto’.

An influx of “ignorant” visitors has sparked outrage among Canary islands residents, as costs soar and drunken partygoers keep them up all night.

The Covid pandemic saw a boost in tourists arriving to the popular destination, and now locals are revolting in the wake of skyrocketing rent prices and overburdened services.

Some took to the streets with spray paint to sprawl bitter messages outside tourism hotspots which read “your paradise, our misery” and “tourists go home”.

Josua Garcia-Garcia is up in arms about the ongoing ordeal and told the MailOnline it is a “nightmare” when holidaymakers take over the island.

“I only get four hours of sleep every night because of the music and noise, which keeps me up until three in the morning,” explained the 33-year-old bar worker.

The frustrated local called for “stricter rules” to be enforced on “ignorant” tourists to prevent residents from more “suffering”.

“Rents are soaring and people on average salaries cannot afford to live here any more, once they pay their rent they have no money for food,” he continued.

It comes as more AirBnBs crop up across the island, driving residents out, with less properties on the market.

In turn, the price tag on remaining homes is becoming too expensive for those who want to stay.

And, Tenerife is not the only holiday destination struggling with this issue.

Locals in UK coastal resorts such as Devon and Cornwall have also blasted greedy tourists for snapping up second homes.

The issue worsened amid Covid as more Brits chose staycations over travelling abroad.

Last year, Canary Island residents held a protest against the arrival of more holidaymakers.

In what has been dubbed ‘tourismphobia’, they marched the streets holding banners which read “the Canaries are no longer a paradise” and “the Canaries are not for sale”.

Doctor Matías González Hernández, an academic at Las Palmas University, claimed locals faced homelessness.

He said they “can’t afford to rent or buy a house” due to rising inflation and rent prices.

More graffiti in the popular town of Las Palmas reflect this, and read “average salary in Canary Islands is 1,200,” which equates to £1,000.

The academic called on their government for better infrastructure to accommodate growing demands – such as improving roads.

“Right now you get stuck for two hours on the main road,” he said.

Now, holidaymakers will be forced to fork out €4 (£3.39) for city tax from October to enjoy the beauties Barcelona has to offer.

It comes after the city council vowed to promote “quality tourism”, with around 32million holidaymakers arriving per year.

Meanwhile, the shift against holidaymaker accommodation in Seville was sparked after it was revealed rental prices have risen by over 70 per cent in the last 10 years.

The anguish reflects how Tenerife locals felt in recent news when they made headlines for holding anti-tourism protests in the streets.

Residents in idyllic hotspots have slammed holidaymakers for staining important amenities.

Essentials including post offices and village shops were being disposed of to make way for more houses and cafes for tourists.

And, locals are struggling to climb on the property ladder as many houses sit empty, being used as second homes and holiday lets.

In some hotspots this has created a major housing crisis as demand for accommodation and second homes drives house prices sky high.

Road infrastructure and parking systems also often can’t cope with more tourists – leading to traffic chaos and safety concerns.

The issues see younger families leaving the area, in turn making it harder for community members left behind.

It comes as other holiday destinations closer to home have slammed tourists.

Disgruntled locals along the beautiful north Norfolk coast have voiced support for a unbroken 30-mile “wall” in a bid to stop the influx of unwelcome visitors.

Meanwhile, residents living in Anglesey, North Wales, say their lives are being plagued by inconsiderate visitors and ‘greedy’ outsiders snapping up second homes.

Elsewhere in the UK, homeowners of Staithes. the northernmost village in Yorkshire, are frustrated with holiday lets.

And, in Padstow, North Cornwall, glorious golden beaches and picturesque countryside are a hit with tourists – but now its popularity is wreaking havoc with residents.

Anti-tourist measures sweeping hotspots

A WAVE of anti-tourist measures are being implemented across Europe to curb mass tourism in popular holiday hotspots.

Overcrowding has become the main problem in many sunny destinations, with authorities trying to find a solution to keep tourists and locals happy.

Officials have attempted to reduce the impact of holidaymakers by implementing additional taxes on tourists, or banning new hotels.

Earlier this year Venice became the first city in the world to charge an entry fee for holidaymakers after it started charging day-trippers €5 (£4.30) if visiting the historical Italian centre.

It was followed by an area in Barcelona which resorted to removing a well-used bus route from Apple and Google Maps to stop crowds of tourists from using the bus.

Meanwhile, San Sebastián in the north of Spain, limited the maximum number of people on guided visits to 25 to avoid congestion, noise, nuisance and overcrowding.

The city has already banned the construction of new hotels.

The Spanish government has allowed restaurants to charge customers more for sitting in the shade in Andalucia.

Benidorm has introduced time restrictions, as swimming in the sea between midnight and 7am could cost a whopping £1,000.

The Canary Islands are also considering adopting measures to regulate the number of visitors – and charge tourists a daily tax.

Greece has already enforced a tourist tax during the high season (from March to October) with visitors expected to pay from €1 (£0.86) to €4 (£3.45) per night, depending on the booked accommodation.

Officials in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia want to introduce a fee for travellers to remind people to be courteous during their trips.