BAKU. Azerbaijan. August 11. Protests against mass tourism have swept Spain this summer, but they could also flare up in other parts of Europe as the balance between the interests of locals and visitors to tourist areas is upset, particularly over accommodation, Trend reports.
The protests against mass tourism that have engulfed Spain could spread to other parts of Europe, predicts Peter De Bruyne, senior project officer for UNESCO's sustainable tourism project.
Protests by local residents in Spain's tourist areas began several weeks ago. They affected Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Gran Canaria, Malaga, etc. Reuters reports, citing police, that about 10,000 people took part in one of the protests in Mallorca on July 21.
Tourists are displacing residents from the Italian island of Capri. At peak season, the resort sees up to 16,000 tourists a day, outnumbering the island's population of 12,900. Most are day-trippers, but the number of overnighters is also growing as more homes are being rented out on Capri.
"Capri is becoming a hostel for tourists," said Teodorico Boniello, head of the local consumer association. According to him, more people are arriving on the island than it can accommodate. Because of the influx of tourists, the Capri authorities have doubled the entry tax from €2.50 to €5, which will be in effect from April 1 to October 31.