Locals in a major Spanish city are rebelling against overtourism by allegedly using dirty tactics like spitting in their drinks and encouraging drunk visitors to jump off balconies, according to The Telegraph. The city is a popular beach destination in the Mediterranean and is home to a huge cruise port which offloads thousands of tourists a day.
Nevertheless, Barcelona locals don’t seem too happy about the huge numbers of holidaymakers, with politicians listening to their frustrations by increasing the nightly tourism tax, halting the construction of hotels and imposing restrictions on people looking to rent their flat on sites like Airbnb.
While mass tourism may bring in some money, it also increases the price of rental homes for locals, as well as massively adding to the noise and disruption. Tour guides tend to prioritise their customers rather than local residents, and public transport can get overwhelmed, reports the Daily Star.
Graffiti has now been spotted in the city warning tourists that “we spit in your beer. Cheers!”, while another said: “your luxury trip – my daily misery”. There are also various stickers encouraging “balconing” – a precarious act where drunk tourists leap from one balcony to another, regularly ending in accidents and even death.
Not everyone in the city agrees though, with some graffiti in response pointing out the hypocrisy of some, saying: “Those who painted this have been to New York, Berlin, London, Lisbon, Tangier, Istanbul…but they don’t want anyone coming to this neighbourhood. Hypocrisy is the worst way to fight against gentrification.”
Nevertheless, the hostility towards tourists continues. One grocery shop, the Queviures Murria, has warned tourists that if they don’t buy anything, they’ll have to pay a £4.30 charge.
Barcelona, home to one of the world’s greatest football clubs, was transformed by hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics, as it provided funds to greatly rejuvenate a tired city centre which had been neglected by Fascist and Madrid-centric leader Francisco Franco.
It is not the only area fighting back against overtourism though. The Playa de Palma area of Majorca has banned tourists from wearing football shirts, while some all-inclusive holiday resorts have been ordered to cap drinks at six a day for guests.
