Anti-tourist zealots warn of ‘summer of surprise actions’ with protests ‘without a warning’ to spark chaos in Ibiza
ANTI-tourist zealots have chillingly warned of a summer of “surprise actions” as they prepare to launch protests in Ibiza.
Protestors said many demonstrations and mass campaigns will be carried out “without warning” – something that could spark chaos in the Spanish holiday hotspot.
While it is not clear what “surprise actions” will be carried out, it is understood protestors could try and organise mass rallies to put up their demands.
One plan targets a “welcome party” for cruise ship arrivals on July 24th that will be attended by thousands of passengers.
A major anti-tourism platform “Caviem el Rumb” is also planning a demonstration on Sunday to coincide with a similar event in the capital of Mallorca, where up to 10,000 people could take to the streets.
It is not known what the protestors intend to do but they are stressing they are not against tourism but the adverse effects it is having on Ibiza.
They have already handed out leaflets to tourists in various languages, including English, in a bid to spread the word and gain momentum.
Caviem el Rumb mentions excess tourism is only helping the rich whilst the poor in Ibiza suffer, especially due to the lack of affordable housing.
Spokespersons María Cardona and Karen Killeen said in a press conference that they are already working on organising a large demonstration that will be held on September 27 – in addition to the “surprises”.
María read a manifesto delivered to Ibiza’s council along with a request for the island to lead a “common reflection process” about the situation both Ibiza and neighbouring areas are going through due to excess tourism.
The manifesto said: “Ibiza and Formentera are capital production centres at the service of the tourism industry.
“An economic monoculture that has provided neither more prosperity nor more equality. It has only served to make the rich richer and expel the poorest from the island.”
The group insisted it wanted to protect the dignity and rights of local people.
It says there is an excess of hotel rooms and it is now impossible for residents to afford rentals and therefore remain on the island.
The transformation of Ibiza into a “luxury destination” is causing serious problems for residents on the island which, like the Canary Islands, has a limit “already exceeded.”
And the group says Ibiza and Formentera have to join the protests happening in all parts of Spain because they are “the living example of the disastrous effects that this path has on the working class”.
It comes as Majorca officials are begging anti-tourist zealots to respect holidaying Brits as more protests are set to rock Spain.
The warning comes after demonstrating Barcelonans sprayed holidaymakers at diners with water pistols earlier this month.
Foreign tourists in Majorca were also booed and jeered as they ate evening meals on terraces during a protest there on May 25.
They also occupied a beach with umbrellas covered in the slogan “Ocupem Les Nostres Platges”, which translates into: “We occupy our beaches”.
Now regional officials on the Balearic Islands have made it clear to the mob that there must be no repeat of Barcelona and locals must show tourists “respect”.
Demonstrators flocked to Majorcan beaches last month in yet another display of locals’ discontent with holidaymakers and mass tourism.
They were seen huddled together at the coastal resort of Colonia De Sant Jordi, east of the island’s capital, Palma.
A group called Mallorca Platja Tour – Majorca Beach Tour – had earlier campaigned online for locals to “occupy” the island’s beaches.
The group wrote on X: “Call for residents to fill the beaches of Mallorca as a protest against overcrowding.
“We invite all the residents who live near the beaches to go there to recover our beaches and enjoy them as before.”
Spain’s tourism minister condemned protesters who soaked tourists with water pistols during a protest on July 6 in Barcelona city centre.
Jordi Hereu, a former Barcelona mayor, described their actions as reprehensible and that they didn’t represent the country’s culture of hospitality.
Originally people in all four of the Balearic Islands including Ibiza and Menorca were going to take to the streets of their respective capitals on the same day before those plans were scrapped in favour of separate but co-ordinated actions over the summer.
In April, thousands of anti-tourist protesters took to the streets in Tenerife and demanded a freeze on holidaymakers.
The anti-tourist hordes filled a square in the capital brandishing banners including some that read “You enjoy we suffer” in English.
More than 15,000 people waved Canary Islands’ flags and blew horns to make a deafening noise in the capital Santa Cruz.
Protests also took place at the same time in other popular Canary Islands including Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.
Campaigners have tried to distance themselves from anti-tourist graffiti which has appeared on walls and benches in and around southern Tenerife.
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.
