British holidaymakers are cancelling their trips to Majorca, with travellers declaring they won't visit destinations where they feel unwelcome amid escalating anti-tourism demonstrations across the Balearic Islands.
"Where you're not wanted, you don't go," Rafel Roig, president of the Business Federation of Transport, blasted as British tourists increasingly shun Spanish resorts.
The growing resentment towards overtourism in Spain's popular holiday destinations has prompted UK travellers to abandon Majorca.
Anti-tourism protests have spread throughout the Balearic Islands, including Menorca and Ibiza, as well as the Canary Islands and mainland cities such as Barcelona, creating an increasingly hostile atmosphere for British visitors.
British holidaymakers are cancelling their trips to Majorca, with travellers declaring they won't visit destinations where they feel unwelcome amid escalating anti-tourism demonstrations across the Balearic Islands
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Restaurant owners across Mallorca face devastating financial losses as the anti-tourism backlash frightens away British visitors, according to industry representatives.
"The anti-tourism messages are scaring visitors away," warned Juanmi Ferrer, president of Mallorca CAEB Restauración, who reported that July revenues have declined significantly.
The hospitality sector faces an unprecedented crisis, with predictions of mass closures across the island. "This year, hundreds of restaurants in Mallorca will close," Ferrer stated.
Carolina Domingo, president of Pimeco, confirmed that businesses are experiencing the direct impact of anti-tourism sentiment.
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"They are noticing that anti-tourism messages are being felt," she said, highlighting the immediate economic consequences for local enterprises.
Tourism industry professionals acknowledge that hostile messaging from Mallorca is successfully deterring British holidaymakers who are increasingly choosing alternative destinations.
Pedro Oliver, president of the Official College of Tourist Guides of the Balearic Islands, confirmed that "the anti-tourism messages coming from Mallorca are taking hold" among potential visitors.
He warned about the international impact of such campaigns: "Negative news has repercussions in other countries, as tourists choose other destinations when deciding where to go on holiday."
British holidaymakers are cancelling their trips to Majorca, with travellers declaring they won't visit destinations where they feel unwelcome
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The tourism sector faces a self-inflicted crisis, Oliver suggested, stating: "We're sending out the message that we don't want tourists and that everything is overcrowded."
Locals argue the demonstrations target overdevelopment and infrastructure pressures rather than individual tourists.
One resident explained: "People don't seem to realise that, they think they're anti British protests.
"And what they're really protesting about is over development of certain areas, new complexes, sporting complexes, all inclusive everywhere (nobody spending outside), the strain on the already sparse resources, upping their utility bills."
Social media commentators suggest Spain faces consequences for abandoning higher-spending visitors.
"They chose to - instead of keeping upper to middle income guests. You chose to embrace those who could afford to come there but couldn't afford to be there. The quality tourists of all nations left long ago," one observer noted.