Anti-visitor sentiment sweeps some of Europe's most popular destinations

I'm seeing more and more news articles like this one....

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/05/tourists-not-welcome-popular-european-destinations.html

It only gives a few examples. For example it doesn't mention Barcelona which is also pushing back on tourism. Have you experienced anti-tourist sentiment on your travels? If so, where and what? I haven't.

This is not unique in Europe.

We have not seen it first hand.

Even an issue in some USA cities.

Keith

It's certainly making me re-think my plans for 2018. I won't go where I'm not wanted.

The biggest game-changer seems to be the emergence of online apartment rental sites. These have made it easier and cheaper for tourists to book non-hotel accommodations. Landlords in turn find it far more profitable to rent out their properties for short term stays rather than to year round residents.

Cruse ships make easy targets for anti-tourism protesters. They are highly visible and the protest group can get some great TV news footage as their armada of tiny Davids take a stand against one huge Goliath. It's harder to protest the arrival of trains, planes, and cars yet this is how most continental Europeans visit neighboring countries. Yet these are the tourists who are renting overnight accommodations that used to be available to residents.

The other side of the argument is that many local residents depend on tourism. Tour guides, wait staff, hotel staff, shop keepers. Make tourists unwelcome and these people lose hours or their jobs.

The headline writer hasn't read the article, basically. Venice says big cruise ship damage the canals so the need to park outside the city; that's not anti-tourism. Skye say that their hotels are pretty full so if you arrive without a room booked you might not be able to find one; that's not anti-tourism. There's nothing in there that fits the headline.

It's certainly making me re-think my plans for 2018. I won't go where I'm not wanted.

 

The biggest game-changer seems to be the emergence of online apartment rental sites. These have made it easier and cheaper for tourists to book non-hotel accommodations. Landlords in turn find it far more profitable to rent out their properties for short term stays rather than to year round residents.

 

Cruse ships make easy targets for anti-tourism protesters. They are highly visible and the protest group can get some great TV news footage as their armada of tiny Davids take a stand against one huge Goliath. It's harder to protest the arrival of trains, planes, and cars yet this is how most continental Europeans visit neighboring countries. Yet these are the tourists who are renting overnight accommodations that used to be available to residents.

 

The other side of the argument is that many local residents depend on tourism. Tour guides, wait staff, hotel staff, shop keepers. Make tourists unwelcome and these people lose hours or their jobs.

Excllent post, IMO and hits most of the pertinent issues.

Mallorca is fed up with the drunken revelers on their beaches - similar to some towns in Florida that were fighting their spring break image.

About short term apartment rentals: illegal in some cities were absentee landlords bought apartments, took them out of the tight local rental market and rented to tourists instead. This is not anti-tourism. There are plenty of hotel rooms to be had.

St Barts shuts up shop when larger cruise ships come a calling. Smaller ships are tolerated. That is an example of cruise ships being targeted. Not sure where people have got the idea Venice doesn't want tourists from ships. It's the effect on the islands that's the issue, not tourists.

On the other issues, Is it such a bad thing to limit numbers if over crowding takes place? Do places like Disneyland carry on selling or are there limits on sales or more to the point, admissions? (You would hope there is wouldn't you?)

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The headline writer hasn't read the article, basically. Venice says big cruise ship damage the canals so the need to park outside the city; that's not anti-tourism. Skye say that their hotels are pretty full so if you arrive without a room booked you might not be able to find one; that's not anti-tourism. There's nothing in there that fits the headline.

HUH?? Here's the section on Venice in case YOU haven't read it.

Venice, Italy

In July roughly 2,000 Venetians protested against tourism ruining their city, the knock-on effects of which include rising rent and pollution from cruise ships. Locals in the iconic waterborne city are leaving at a rate of 1,000 people per year, according to Carlo Beltrame, temporary spokesperson for the Gruppo 25 Aprile, the organisation behind the protest. He deemed the depopulation a "social tragedy," which also risks turning the city into "Disneyland."

Beltrame said that locals are most concerned with property prices and rising rent, while the government was focused on tackling antisocial behavior from tourists. Recent measures put in place to tackle tourist overcrowding include a ban on new tourist accommodation in the city center and people counters at popular sites.

Tourist numbers in Italy as a whole have been steadily rising in recent years according to the WTTC, up 3.2 percent year on year in 2016 to 52.4 million. "We wouldn't damage tourism, we would only control it," Beltrame said

Doesn't even mention the canals. I'm not sure what article you are referring to, but certainly not the one I posted.

I'm seeing more and more news articles like this one....

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/05/tourists-not-welcome-popular-european-destinations.html

 

It only gives a few examples. For example it doesn't mention Barcelona which is also pushing back on tourism. Have you experienced anti-tourist sentiment on your travels? If so, where and what? I haven't.

My son and daughter-in-law were in Barcelona recently for a couple of days (just before the terrorist attack) as well as in Rome and a couple of other Mediterranean-area cities and experienced no anti-tourist sentiment. They used public transit where they could, walked extensively, stayed at relatively small hotels and ate at whatever restaurants they found attractive and had nothing negative to say about their experience or treatment.

While I wouldn't call the article "fake news" because there obviously have been some pockets of anti-tourism activities I think it's classic example of what we often see in what passes for the news media today, taking an event that actually did happen and then creating a story that makes it appears as if it's a wide-spread or common problem. it borders on what used to be commonly called "yellow journalism", and is designed to catch the eye of millennials who were raised tethered to their electronic devices and have an eight second attention span as a result.

My son and daughter-in-law were in Barcelona recently for a couple of days (just before the terrorist attack) as well as in Rome and a couple of other Mediterranean-area cities and experienced no anti-tourist sentiment. They used public transit where they could, walked extensively, stayed at relatively small hotels and ate at whatever restaurants they found attractive and had nothing negative to say about their experience or treatment.

 

While I wouldn't call the article "fake news" because there obviously have been some pockets of anti-tourism activities I think it's classic example of what we often see in what passes for the news media today, taking an event that actually did happen and then creating a story that makes it appears as if it's a wide-spread or common problem.

Yeah, as I mentioned in my post I haven't experienced any anti-tourism either. That said, there's no questioning that several European governments have implemented anti-tourism regulations. Perhaps we don't see it because for the most part, we interact with people whose livelihoods depend on tourists?

Mallorca is fed up with the drunken revelers on their beaches - similar to some towns in Florida that were fighting their spring break image.

When I was 20 me and my friends, stayed one week in Magaluf. After that week, I do understand why the locals are fed up with the partying going on in Magaluf.

My wife and I just spent one week in Alcudia and even if there's more of a vaccation villiage for families I would never move there. To me it's just "fake".

Maybe it's because we don't cruise the carribean but we have always found natives of various countries to be amazingly friendly.

While in Hawaii, I saw some locals making fun of Japanese tourists that were posing for pictures.

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Local attitudes towards crowds of shipborne passengers will reflect local points of view. Residents whose income comes from taxi fares, guided tours and souvenir sales feel the more the better, while proprietors of hotels (especially higher end ones) and better restaurants see that huge crowds might jeopardize their income.

My dad moved to Colorado in the 80s to be near the mountains. Ten years later he couldn't move away fast enough because the tourist drove him crazy.

The poster reminded me of how a local Hawaiian explained tourism in his area. He said that a local golf course would charge a Japanize golfer $500 for green fees. A white tourist from the mainland $100. And a local would be charged one rock.

Burt

Yeah, as I mentioned in my post I haven't experienced any anti-tourism either. That said, there's no questioning that several European governments have implemented anti-tourism regulations. Perhaps we don't see it because for the most part, we interact with people whose livelihoods depend on tourists?

I'd like to see examples of "anti-tourism regulations"

implemented by governments in Europe. The ones I'm familiar with are designed to offset the negative effects of large numbers of tourists all arriving during a short time frame. It was eye opening to me to see how much calmer and enjoyable Dubrovnic became when the cruise ship pax left.

The US has done similar things for years. Many towns on the "Jersey Shore" are notoriously inhospitable to "shoobies and guidos" and renters by limiting parking. National Parks have closed roads to private vehicles forcing every one into buses. State parks close there gates after X number of vehicles enter.

Happening here in NZ as well. Less so against cruisers [who open their wallets], more against 'freedom campers'.

I'd like to see examples of "anti-tourism regulations"

implemented by governments in Europe.

 

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Try eating your panino and sipping your San Pellegrino while sitting on the Spanish Steps or leaning on the balustrade surrounding the Trevi Fountain.

Tourists can sometimes get on my nerves here in Nashville, especially during big events or certain times of the year. I try to be patient, realizing that I like to travel and am a tourist myself in other cities, and tourism is Tennessee's 2nd largest industry, meaning it brings in tax revenue.

Hotel prices in downtown Nashville are now on a par with places like Seattle, and when we have to bring people into town on business, they have to stay in one of the surrounding counties or out by the airport. Nashville used to be a family destination, but good luck now if you're a family trying to find anywhere affordable to stay.

Roz

I don't get your point.

. . . but then I didn't purchase an Eiffel Tower keychain from a pesky Parisian vendor while waiting for our timed entry to the elevators.

 

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and when we have to bring people into town on business, they have to stay in one of the surrounding counties or out by the airport.

 

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Roz

Can't be very good "business" if they have to stay at the Motel 6 out by the airport. The reason chambers of commmerce exist is to bring profitable business into the cimmunity.

I don't get your point.

. . . but then I didn't purchase an Eiffel Tower keychain from a pesky Parisian vendor while waiting for our timed entry to the elevators.

Ha!!! You think those selling the Eiffel Tower key chains are actually Parisian? They're not even French.

Just my opinion but the level of anti tourism in any given area is likely inversely proportionate to the area's dependency on income from tourism. In other words, the less financially dependent the more anti tourist, and the more financially dependent the less anti tourist. ;)

You could add Amsterdam to the list, but I guess cruisers are not the tourists they don't want. :confused:

Just my opinion but the level of anti tourism in any given area is likely inversely proportionate to the area's dependency on income from tourism. In other words, the less financially dependent the more anti tourist, and the more financially dependent the less anti tourist. ;)

I'm a Floridian and I hate tourists [emoji13][emoji13]Not crazy about snowbirds, either