Anger directed towards touists in Cornwall in recent years which has seen some call for them to stay away could come back to haunt those who rely on the industry to make a living. Locals living in popular areas such as St Ives have complained about a recent surge in popularity for the tourist destination, claiming it placed extra strain on public services and increased house prices.
Tourism is a serious driver of local economies in popular hotspots but visitor numbers last year were down 10%, with a similar picture expected to be seen in 2025. Ella Erijota told the Daily Mail: “You always see people complaining about the tourists but it’s important to use. I’ve noticed a massive decline in the amount of visitors this summer and it’s concerning.
“Cornwall relies on tourism and needs it to survive.”
A decline in visitors following anti-tourism protests has also been seen in Spain, with several popular tourist areas seeing similar trajectories.
Residents of Soller Valley, on the island of Majorca admit they “scared tourists away” after overtourism protests led to a steep decline in tourist numbers.
The town has had tourism at the heart of the local economy for decades, with hotels, bars and restaurants providing jobs and drawing in visitors from across the world.
One hotel owner told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: “We’ve scared the tourists away.
“I wouldn’t want to spend my holidays in a place where I don’t feel welcome.”
A waiter in a local restaurant that relies on tourism explained that the region had struggled to attract visitors in the numbers of previous years.
They said: “Except on weekends or rainy days, there’s not much going on here; we’re just waiting around, and it’s been like this since May.”
In Cornwall, many people now fear that holidaymakers could now be choosing other locations due to the rise in anti-tourism sentiment.
St Ives resident and shop worker Charlotte Cooper told the Daily Mail: “It’s been a lot quieter this year, I’ve definitely noticed a decline in tourism.”
The decline in visitors is beginning to be felt by those who rely on the industry to make a living, with hotels being forced to shut and some companies left with no option but to let staff go.
“Last year was a tough year,” admits Jon Hyatt, chair of Visit Cornwall, The Telegraph reported.
“Visitor numbers for the South West were down 10 to 12%, and we mirrored that in Cornwall.” Some signs falling visitor numbers are starting to bite.
The Eden Project, one of the UK’s most iconic ecological and educational attractions, announced last month, plans to make up to 80 employees redundant due to increased costs and declining visitation.