Protests in Spain, Mexico target travelers as overtourism anger grows
Nan Palmero and his wife were in a rehearsal dinner when Mexico City told me that two American friends said they had heard outside a “ruminant” before a wedding in the fashionable Roma Norte neighborhood of Mexico City.
Palmero, the second story of the restaurant, told a large group of people moving on the streets, some of them holding banners, “Gringos organization,” he said.
Later, he learned that the demonstrators smashed the restaurant windows and that his friends were damaged by his wedding planner’s new car – a local resident.
“They were washing his car, smashing a window, tearing a mirror, spraying his side. It was really bad.” He said.
Palmero from his wife Mexico, said that the flow of digital nomadic and foreign tourists increased prices in the most popular neighborhoods of the city.
San Antonio, an enthusiastic traveler from Texas Palmero, said that residents are not aware of organizing demonstrations as they read in Barcelona and other parts of Europe.
“People… They want to experience these beautiful and wonderful cultures in the world ,,” We impress what we’re trying to experience negatively. “
Protests on the rise
He said that the protests against tourists increased frequently and size, and that the residents who took a part of the cities without tourists during the pandemik have returned or even exceeded the pandemic levels of tourism.
Residents typically choose protests instead of other lobbying forms, because the people create awareness, which leads to the scope of the media and social pressure for governments to take action. Barcelona and Amsterdam, where it occurs, he added.
Graffiti on a wall in Mexico City. In Mexico, “Gringo” is often used to refer to foreigners, especially those from the United States.
Source: Ernest Osuna
The locals are protesting because they don’t know who to return. “Tourism is extremely disintegrated by tourism public policy, which makes it difficult for the residents to interact with appropriate decision -makers.” He said. “This is often concentrated with the loss of faith in the government due to frustration and perceived inertia.”
Why are tourists target
Tsukanova, a guest professor and researcher at Ahl Hospital Business School, tends to develop the reactions of the inhabitants as excessive wear intensifies.
“They can tolerate at first, then Voice concerns, sometimes return to conflict and ultimately call ways to adapt and force For constructive change, “he said.” And along this way, tourists usually become scapegoats. “
A man duck and a woman, protesters on July 6, 2024, while cutting their ears in Barcelona.
Josep Lago | AFP | Getty Images
In July 2024, Barcelona, protesters in Spain, He sprayed travelers with water guns and canned drinks, and used a police -style tape to prevent hotel entrances and pavement cafes. The message from the crowd was open: “Tourists are going home.”
Barcelona and Spanish Mallorca Island I saw water gun toting protesters returned in JuneAccording to Associated Press, there were demonstrations in Spain, Venice, Italy and Lisbon, other parts of Portugal. Protesters in Barcelona launched fireworks and opened a box of pink smoke.
Tsukanova, travelers may be the visible factor of accusation, but the policy gaps are the roots of the problem.
Confrontation as a tactic
Tsukanova shows that direct confrontations with research, tourists can make travelers feel good and thus some of them can lead to rethinking trips.
On July 6, 2024, a man argues with protesters outside the Barcelona Hotel.
Paco Freire | Stick images | LightoKet | Getty Images
However, protests can raise awareness about the problems faced by inhabitants, which can cause travelers to change certain behaviors such as choosing hotels through short -term rents.
However, Tsukanova has little evidence that protests have long -term effects.
PAPP said that cities responding to the pressure caused by protests did this with temporary policies that are more symbolic than they were often meaningful.
“Such measures strengthen social concerns and increase the negative perceptions of tourism,” he said. “This is a cycle.”
Possible solutions
Lionel Saul, who visited the lecturer at Ahl Hospital Business School, can reduce short -term leasing and apply significant higher taxes to tourists to avoid cities that are not made for tourism, not for tourism, not for tourism.
While developing ideas for academics “regenerative travel” – A form of tourism that helps natives instead of holding – cities should include local communities in tourism development.
Doug Lansky, a travel writer and frequent speaker about tourism development, said local sounds are often missing from critical debates that damage destinations in the long run.
“If these residents are on the table – any table – if there are places they sit, they don’t have to walk the streets, then they think sounds are heard locally.” He said.
Lansky is the advocate of “managed tourism”, referring to limits such as scheduled entrances, visitor heads and restriction of short -term rental markets to attraction centers.
He said change was less coincidence that travelers are less than in the past.
“It’s not so fun … You won’t waste your day without stopping your day,” he said. But “it will benefit everyone.”
