Greece, Europe and tourism!

[Jennybeans401]

Greece now joins most of Europe in anti-tourism protests aimed at the British.why? Surely tourism is tourism and why focus just on the Brits?

We are booked to go to Greece,I'm shocked.

To be more precise, the area is nicknamed Ballermann (after a pub there called Balneario or some such), and has come to symbolise the stereotypical ‘Germans on the beach with loads of beer’ kind of holiday.

@Maddy70 alcohol is still viewed as harmless in the UK with three aisles devoted to it in supermarkets.People want to continue that cheap booze on holidays and drink even more.

The problem with those Brits who go abroad to drink to get drunk is they drink on an empty stomach. Which makes you drunk quicker. This also applies to them at home.

Whereas mainland Europeans socialise over a meal, have some alcohol and enjoy the company. They get merry but not completely lost the plot.

Alcohol for many Brits needs to have their attitudes changed.

because a lot of brits abroad behave terribly and demand fry ups and roast dinners and del boy on the tv

@Auburngal it's a culture that's been around a long time.I think the European way of enjoying alcohol as part of a meal is healthier.

@hangingonfordearlife1 😂

Place marking, looks like an interesting discussion.

Yes so have we. Love the country. Hope you have a lovely time.

How you seen how Brits behave abroad? It’s so humiliating to think that is the image these countries have of us.

I know this thread is about too many properties that are let out to tourists making it difficult and expensive for locals.

I find those resorts with British food embarrassing! I bet some of those Brits who visit these places have never sampled any local cuisine. Not even a Spanish omelette- omelette with potatoes and onions!

IMO those who refuse to eat the local cuisine abroad - should never go on holiday. It’s cheaper for them to whack on central heating to 30c and get a spray tan.

Sitting around the poolside or beach all day plus not able to sample the local cuisine is my holiday hell.

Get rid of Airbnb

"because a lot of brits abroad behave terribly and demand fry ups and roast dinners and del boy on the tv"

Yes. This is definitely why they are protesting in Athens 🙄 not.

Tell me you've never been to Athens without telling me you've never been to Athens

I live in a City overwhelmed by airB&B. It’s interested in that the proliferation of airB&B is putting many really nice guest houses / traditional b&bs out of business. With the lack of housing in this city, we need to clamp down massively on airB&B. There are other options.

I know friends who use Airbnb but I've always preferred a hotel.Are they massively cheaper? What's the appeal?

I haven’t followed this

Op why do you think it’s aimed at British people in particular?

I half agree, but don't see a huge difference between freely available drugs and freely available cheap alcohol in terms of blame. I assume that's why some resorts are now bringing in alcohol bans after a certain time though.

Your post is very deceptive OP- it's not aimed particularly at British- it's aimed at tourism in general

The citizens are taking the wrong people to task here, government need to change policy.

How can they not be taking it out on tourists when they graffiti signs telling tourists to go home? Your paradise, my hell etc. the vast majority of British tourists don’t behave badly when abroad, they are just regular couples/families wanting some sunshine.

There are so many ways this could be bought to a halt, via tourist tax (this has already substantially risen in Greece) levy on second home owners, with higher council tax for non nationals, large fines for bad behaviour from tourists, buying a visa, in advance similar to Esta type system.

I don’t think getting rid of Airbnb would solve this, at all. Airbnb has a place in the tourist market, we have used Airbnb on occasions in the UK, often the accommodation is more suitable for my disability.

we visited Lanzarote with our adult sons in Jan this year there was a definite vibe that we picked up from local, on a few occasions. We weren’t drunk or misbehaving, I am disabled (MS) walk using aid and one of my DS’ is teetotal, we certainly didn’t do a thing to provoke the rudeness we were faced with on at least 4 occasions over the week we spent there, we have visited Lanzarote many times before and had never felt such hostility before.

I know friends who use Airbnb but I've always preferred a hotel.Are they massively cheaper? What's the appeal?

I was in Athens last month with a friend and we stayed in an airb&b. It was much cheaper to stay in a 2 bed apartment than pay for 2 hotel rooms - we both need our own space so sharing a room wasn’t on the cards. We spent in shops and bars, didn’t get blind drunk and were made to feel very welcome.

The locals were saying the cost of housing is a big issue as is low wages in all parts of the hospitality industry.

We are going to Athens in June with our adult kids. I am not worried as like you I am sure, we are respectful and well-behaved. I am sure I will find somewhere to take my money for souvlaki 😋

First time I went to Athens I stayed in Airbnbs in the early days of Airbnb. 😳

Refuse to use them now that I've seen how they affect the local housing issues.

I find the whole second homes in the UK equally appalling. Whole towns in darkness during the winter. Very sad.

I agree that all-inclusives could encourage excess drinking. Never done AI and never will. I didn’t even use them when the kids were young. Why hide away in a hotel stuffing yourself with warm buffet food when you can get out and about? I don’t believe it’s cheaper as you can get a fresh bakery loaf and make cheap lunches etc in other ways.

Yes I am a snob about AI. Sorry for the detail.

We only holiday once a year in Europe. But I am aware of the environmental consequences and we need to consider what we are doing by travelling.

I live in a tourist City in the south east and it is expensive to live here, we are very near a station that doesn’t have ticket barriers so many people get off at this station before the main terminus, as soon as any sun is out you get people arriving sometimes drunk by 2pm, they leave empty bottles all over the street, our road is a dead end and becomes a woodland area so it is really harmful for the wild animals, broken glass and litter everywhere!

There are lots of air BNBs near us, when we moved in that didn’t used to be the case; it does have a negative impact on those starting out as rents are ridiculously high now whereas 15 years ago you could rent a mansion flat period property for about £600!

There are many areas of “proper” Spain which are beautiful and lovely.
Many fly into Malaga and never visit this wonderful city. I had 3 nights stay there and I was probably one of the very few to get a taxi into the city.