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Spain is begging British holidaymakers to return to its country after widespread anti-tourism protests have left resorts "completely dead". The European hotspot has seen a decline in visitation numbers after numerous summers of demonstrations from locals drove Brits to other destinations.
Spanish officials are now urging travellers to go back to Spain as they admit that the marches "scared away visitors". Miguel Perez-Marsa, the head of the nightlife association, told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: "The tourists we're interested in are being driven away; they don't feel welcome and are going to other destinations." Locals took to the streets and beaches in the face of rising housing costs and the environmental toll of tourism.
Pedro Oliver, president of the College of Tour Guides, revealed that bookings have seen a major decline, with excursion rates dropping by 20% this summer. He said it’s not just Brits that have been put off, but German and Italian tourists too.
"The anti-tourism messages are resonating,” he said. "If you generate negative news, which has repercussions in other countries, tourists opt for other destinations when choosing their holidays."
Another tour operator has seen a drop in numbers this year. "Tourismphobia and the idea that tourists are not welcome are hurting us greatly," Biel Rosales, president of tour operator Proguies Turistics, said.
The operator would typically offer around 30 excursions per cruise, yet this figure has fallen to 12-14.
Official data from May show that there was a 1.6% decrease in visitor numbers to Spain. While the decline in visitation is not isolated to Brits, the change in destination from residents of the UK is reportedly having the largest impact.
Biel Moragues, from one of Majorca's taxi associations, said: "British tourists are the most upset by the protests and have changed their holiday destination."
Lesley Johnson, 66, from Leicester, who has lived in Majorca for more than 30 years, told MailOnline: "This area used to have a lot of British bars and pubs, and they would hold quiz leagues and dance leagues.
"Back then, if you went along this street at 7pm at night, you couldn't walk up, it would be full of tourists, but now it's completely dead.
"A lot of the Germans and Brits - they've just gone home."
While many believe that the protests are the sole course for the drop in tourism, some believe that traffic jams, increased prices and less disposable income may be contributing too.
Jordi Mora, president of the Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises of Majorca (Pinem), went as far to say that there hasn’t been a drop in numbers at all.
He said his federation's latest report "pointed to a 5% growth compared to 12% last year".
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