Tourists in the sand dunes of the island of Gran Canaria.
Photo: REUTERS
This year the number of young Britons visiting Spain has broken the record set in 2019, when more than 18 million UK tourists flooded the coast. However, residents of the Spanish tourist regions are not at all happy with such an invasion of visitors, writes The New York Times. The problem is that British travelers drink too much and spend too much.
One of the most popular among tourists is Punta Ballena, one of the centers of European nudism. Public nudity is so common here that signs on the beach strip read: “For lack of clothing in the city, a fine of 400 euros.”
Activist of the environmental non-profit organization GOB, Margarita Ramis, like all local residents, is not happy that the British bring endless drunkenness, drug use and fights with them. “Living in this reality is like living in hell if you want a normal life,” says Margarita.
For visitors from Britain, here’s a pejorative word: “foreigner”. It is shorthand for any Briton who behaves in what is considered stereotypical Britons: drinking too much, fighting, ignoring social norms like stopping at traffic lights and spending too little money.
But, as a rule, the officials of the resort town only dismiss the complaints of the local population. They say that if young British tourists were banned from Spanish resorts, the economic consequences would be very serious.
According to the European Commission, tourism accounts for more than 10 percent of Spain’s annual GDP, with the UK providing most of this revenue.
