Is anybody avoiding booking holidays to Spain due to the demonstrations?

[SmileLady]

I added this on holidays board but no responses yet...

Just wanted some advice. I have only been to Spain 3 times in my 46 years. Times 1 &2 were educational trips when I was a student. But last year as a family we went to Mallorca for the first time in October and really enjoyed it. We stayed in a hotel, rented a car and did loads of day trips. The weather was terrible but we made the most of it.

We are a family of 7 (2 adult children, 3 younger kids, and us, of course). However, we are being put off by the demonstrations. We thought this time, we could maybe fly into Madrid, spend a few days in a B&B seeing the sites, and maybe get a train to Valencia and stay somewhere for a few days. Older children may not come straight with us, depending on work/sports.

However, DH now says we should respect the Spanish and not go if they don't want tourists.

Just to clarify, our ethnic origin is a very popular tourist island in the Med, and DH and I grew up working in the tourist industry, as did both our families. So I have seen the effect of limited tourism on the economy of an area.

Anyway, am I mad to still plan this trip?

We are staying in a holiday resort about 40 minutes outside Barcelona and really want to visit to see the sights do a stadium tour ect but do feel a bit less keen now as will have younger children and don't want them to see any trouble or unrest. We may not bother which is a shame.

I’m not sure what you mean by this? We hear about protestors such as those in Barcelona shouting and squirting tourists with water pistols whilst they’re sitting and eating dinner. The protestors have their legitimate reasons even if I disagree with their method of protest.

My advice to DC who were planning on going to Barcelona was to choose somewhere else. How is listening to the protestors making it about about themselves? Genuinely puzzled.

I would go, but I would not book air bnb. Book a hotel or in a resort.

It's fine to choose not to go but saying things like I don't want to give money to a system that doesn't want me is playing the victim over a holiday when people are worried about their livelihoods.

Not all of them. Last time we went, DH and I got pulled out of the massive non-citizen immigration queue by a stern lady with a clipboard and told to join the US citizen queue that had three people in it. I still don’t know why.

I think the main issue is with people taking up short term lets and making it impossible for ordinary people to rent or buy in tourist hot spots. Not with tourists per se.

a friend went to the coast (not sure where exactly ) earlier this year and definite did encounter some ill feeling and is not going back. She did say that if in a hotel you’d be fine though.

No nothing (that I could see) at the airport - passport control grumpy and stony faced but this is normal at Arrecife - and nothing where we are staying. We’re in a hotel though.

You will not have any trouble in Valencia at all. Other places obviously, yes.

Should my family cancel their Lanzarote holiday? They will lose money, but they have young dcs so want to be safe, and not feel hospitality, or locals not wanting them there.

We’re currently on a Balearic island and haven’t seen/experienced anything. As can often happen in a protest, a choice few individuals have gotten carried away and that is what the media outlets have latched on to as it’s summer and (US politics aside) there’s not a whole heap of newsworthy news going on at the moment.

It is absolutely full full full here though, you can hardly walk between the towels on the beaches and parking is often tricky.
I think the key message is not for all the tourists to stay away - local businesses run by local people would be the first to fold if no one came. The protests are aimed at the politicians - locals want/need rules and systems in place that protect e.g. local habitats and affordable accommodation such as limiting the number of hire cars and AirBnBs.
By all means go, but stay in hotels/guest houses and eat dinner in restaurants and figure out some cool activities to do that take both you and your money off the beaten track and to a variety of locations. Leave the rental flats/houses for locals (who work in hotels and restaurants for minimum wage) to live in.
This problem exists everywhere - there is no point in booking Greece or Albania or France or wherever instead as they could well be next to protest.

Are they in an hotel?

Spanish people very, very unlikely to upset children.

I've been to Spain twice this year and am going again soon. The Spanish who depend on tourists for their livelihood definitely do want us, so I'm supporting them by continuing to go.

I had the best time in Mallorca (palma nova) although admittedly we flew home just 1 week before protests all started so other people's experiences on here may differ of course!
The only grumpy people I encountered the whole trip was staff at London Standsted Airport 🤣
It wouldn't put me off particularly but I would just be more mindful of where I went and stayed on the island. I certainly felt very welcome and can't wait to go back!!

They're staying in an Air b&b, but it isn’t a company or anything like that. It is owned by a Spanish lady, and she lives next door. The house is in a very quiet area.

Go to Cyprus instead.

https://cyprus-mail.com/2024/07/22/extending-the-tourist-season/

I've just returned from gran Canaria and didn't come across any issues at all - I didn't even see any anti tourism graffiti. Even the passport control guys were polite TBH!
I think the reporting has possibly been exaggerated to a certain extent. No doubt there have been a few protests here and there - but i think those are isolated incidents rather than the "new norm" Also my step daughter has just come back from Mallorca - and again she had no issues what so ever. I personally wouldn't let it put you off booking a holiday in Spain or any of their islands.

We travel back and forth for work and pleasure frequently - to Andalucía. I haven't seen any examples of what I'm reading about in the press - not so much as a leaflet. But I'm heading out there again this week and I will report back if I think anything has changed.

Spanish people are some of the warmest and friendliest people I've ever had the pleasure of living and working with. For anyone concerned about travel with children: absolutely do not worry. The Spanish treat children like they're made of precious metals. They would never want to hurt or intimidate any young people. I love taking my children to Spain.

Following with interest as DD and I going to Valencia for 5 days in August.

Was very excited-now def tinged with a bit of anxiety...

We started looking at a long weekend in Spain/majorca to go a few weeks back.
Changed our minds about it, primarily due to these reports. I hear there may also be airport blockades in August too. Travelling these days is challenging enough as it is.
There was a thread in here a couple of months back about the drought out there too and that apparently villa owners were not going to be allowed to refill their pools for the summer. Not sure how that has panned out.

We’ve just got back from Benalmadena and it didn’t affect us at all. Flew into Malaga and nothing at the airport and in the resort they were very welcoming to all tourists.

I have been twice to Mallorca and once to Lanzarote in the last 9 months. No sign of it anywhere and there were allegedly protests while we were there.
We stay in hotels in resorts, it may be different if you were renting a house in a city.

The issue is about local people being priced out of affordable homes. Just like you get in many tourist towns in the UK such as Whitby

If the Spanish owner lives next door, you will be totally protected by the communty! Promise!

Its fine! I live her (and am English)

We just got back from 10 days in Majorca and didn’t come across any of the anti tourism protests whatsoever.

I believe Barcelona is an issue. From what I see on Spanish news.