European locals vow to fight back against tourism after depraved holidaymakers ruin cities - 'Go home!'

Graffiti in Barcelona

Europeans are taking matters into their own hands with hostile graffiti, fake posters and misleading signs as they warn holidaymakers that they are not welcome

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Georgina Cutler

By Georgina Cutler


Published: 17/12/2023

- 18:25

Locals are said to be fighting back against against overtourism

Europeans are taking matters into their own hands with hostile graffiti, fake posters and misleading signs as they warn holidaymakers that they are not welcome.

Locals are said to be fighting back against against overtourism in Barcelona, Amsterdam, Greece and Venice.


Despite governments introducing measures such as regulating cruise ships and clamping down on short-term lets, to control tourism, it appears locals still want holidaymakers out.

According to experts, earlier this month buildings in Athens used for short-term rental were covered with posters featuring what seemed to be an official government logo.

Locals are said to be fighting back against against overtourism in Barcelona, Amsterdam, Greece and Venice

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The message read: "Evacuate apartments immediately due to a bedbug infestation, or face a €500 fine."

Tourists were left surprised by the bogus posters.

"Greece is the country of filoxenia – love of the stranger – we never thought they could be targeting overseas visitors like this," Philippa Unwin, who was staying in one of the apartments in Athens’ Exarcheia district told the Telegraph.

Exarcheia was one area severely affected by Greece’s recession which saw the economy shrink by almost a quarter.

Anti-Airbnb graffiti in can be spotted in Exarcheia and surrounding neighbourhoods with one stating: “Dear Tourist, enjoy your Airbnb. Signed a future homeless Athenian."

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In Barcelona, graffiti in the Old City reads: "Tourist go home!"

While other messages near major tourist attractions say: "Your luxury trip – my daily misery," and, "We spit in your beer. Cheers!”

Angry residents in Vallcarca also rotated the signs to Gaudí’s Park Güell to send visitors in the wrong direction.

Gourmet grocery Colmado Múrria has been left frustrated by visitors taking pictures and leaving without buying anything - so placed a sign in the window saying: “Visit just looking, €5 per person."

Anti-Airbnb graffiti in can be spotted in Exarcheia and surrounding neighbourhoods

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Similarly in Venice, “Tourists go home" and “Venice isn’t Disneyland," can be see sprayed across walls.

Across Amsterdam some members of grassroots organisation "Stop de Gekte" (meaning "Stop the madness") form a “red light district guard” and patrol the area on a weekend.

A representative from the group said: “It’s bizarre to see even young couples with their children [staring] at the poor girls in the windows [of the red light district].

“Prostitution has unfortunately become a tourist attraction.”

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