Spain news update: Anti-Tourism Protests NOT Slowing Down

[@mmartin4978]

I'm a bit confused if there's no tourists where is the income going to come from

[@dantownsend4246]

Tourism brings in about 10% of gdp but doesn’t go to the the lower and middle class. Mainly large companies in the tourism business and airlines. Housing costs now through the roof.

[@charlessquare862]

It is not a matter of tourism or not, it is a question of the excess of tourism in central areas where locals cannot afford to live in. By the way, the Basque country's main income does not come from tourists, but industry.

[@edl7454]

@@charlessquare862 Exactly . Industry is the great driver not tourists, almonds,wine, olives and Jamon.

[@jonathangat4765]

Thanks for the effort, Stu.

[@MrJip65]

Thanks for the update on the news, despite your travel you are broadcasting… and is appreciated

[@Kerbeygrip]

There seems little said about the fact that enormous numbers of tourists in popular destinations are SPANISH.

[@rsnankivell1962]

Protesters are a few communist boycotters, but they make a lot of noise. 99% of Spaniards are in favour of tourism and tourists don't bother them.

[@joeterra.t]

@@rsnankivell1962 Stop spreading misinformation. You clearly have a political agenda on this channel.

[@rsnankivell1962]

@@joeterra.t I wonder... who gave you the power to decide what is misinformation or not? Dont be so arrogant, man! For you, it's misinformation, for me, it's the truth... get it?

[@joeterra.t]

@@rsnankivell1962 Well, if someone claims that "99% of the people of a certain political leaning" claims something, you deserve to be called out for your hypocrisy and blatant lying. We all know who you are and what agenda you're failing at pushing here. Just leave, you've embarrassed yourself enough with your lies. Ok, bye now and don't come back to Spain.

[@EmyMills]

This is absolut false ,more smoke screens

[@tonyis1111]

Arrivals can be controlled be lowering the number of flights and limiting cruise ships. There's no need to bully tourists when the governments can maintain a sustainable level by limiting access.

[@EmyMills]

They dont,they are extremists ,and the media

[@EmyMills]

Is biased

[@rocketpac]

I'm curious as there are many people in these comments that are more familiar with Spain than I am. I am a wicked extranjero from the US, and I've been looking at house prices around the Bilbao area for about 3 years. I have not seen any increases and some decreases, and unlike the United States, the a lot of the same properties are still on the market from three years ago. I have been mainly looking at detached houses around the Plentzia area or around Guernica and a few apartments in Bilbao proper and Santander. So is it just that Bilbao and Santander are not popular? Am I going to get spit on for moving to Spain because I'm an extranjero devil? The reason why I desire to move to Spain is due to the sense of community that I find lacking in the US and the many times I've been to the Basque country I have received nothing but kindness and welcoming from the locals, even thought I don't speak Basque (but I try with the few words that I know).

[@josetorres3889]

I live in Toledo and have been here over a year form the US. The move to Spain was for the same sense of community not readily available in the US. A lot of expats like the south. However, the north has a ton to offer, and I hear some tax benefits not offered in other parts of Spain (but talk to a tax expert about this). Prices around Bilbao are rising (as is new construction), as I have been following the market for a few months and may end up moving in that direction. It is a good idea to learn Euskera (Basque language), but Spanish is a must, full stop. People will take to you, as they are very friendly and welcoming (even here in Toledo). Good luck and I hope you find what you're looking for.

[@EmyMills]

You dont need it we speak spanish😅

[@elinazzout9479]

About the anti tourism demonstrations: here in Fuerteventura it was 2800 who demonstrated 20 of April. The 20 of October it was less than 1500. The same for the Canaries all together: from 57 000 in April to about 10 000 in October. (I got the numbers from the government delegation). The anti tourism group is loosing momentum here.

[@EmyMills]

Of course and they are paid

[@EmyMills]

To do that

[@LaChicaconSuerte-1111]

Here in Benalmadena, there was a taxi shortage due to the bus strike.

[@DavidJames-p9f]

I'm surprised to hear of anti-tourism protests in San Sebastian given that I would expect that most of the tourism to be seasonal (in summer) and most tourism would be domestic.

[@bjarneholen]

The prices in San Sebastian has gone completely nuts in the past 10 years. The locals cannot compete with rich people traveling there to eat at all those Michelin starred restaurants. Small horrible apartments in the city sell for 500K 💶, since they can be rented out on Airbnb. I can understand the locals are getting fed up. I love the city and have been there many times, great place for pintxos, and lovely atmosphere.

[@DavidJames-p9f]

@@bjarneholen Interesting. Thank you for info.

[@charlessquare862]

The protest was not against tourists, please do not get offended. This is not about local against foreigners, the protest was again gentifrication

[@josetorres3889]

Great video! It appears Spain needs to improve it's infrastructure to handle the influx. Not protest people looking to come for vacation (unless they are unruly, of course). Change is inevitable and the country will have to adapt (or add tourist taxes, like places in Italy and other countries have).

[@rsnankivell1962]

Protesters are a few communist boycotters, but they make a lot of noise. 99% of Spaniards are in favour of tourism and tourists don't bother them.

[@marcusjenkins]

Indeed, many other countries have per person per night tourist taxes. Including US of A. Yes, that notorious hotbed of communism, USA, has per-person, per-night tourist taxes. Whatever next?!? 😂😂 Google the Transient Occupancy Tax, for example.

[@mariarosahidalgo6845]

El turismo no nos ha molestado hasta que han llegado 90 millones de turistas al año a un país de 47 millones de habitantes. El centro de Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia son como escenarios muy bonitos para ser vistos pero ya no pueden ser habitados por españoles. Sólo hay turistas. Málaga es muy bonita pero es un gran restaurante. Y así todas las zonas turísticas. En Ibiza o Mallorca hay escasez de profesores, médicos, etc porque no pueden ir a trabajar a esas zonas porque no pueden alquilarse una vivienda. El sector turístico está preparado y tiene capacidad para recibir al turismo, pero el español normal no puede vivir en las zonas turísticas y las ciudades quedan deshabitadas

[@paulgooderham]

Anti-tourism protests: this is what Russian influence operations look like. Pitting one Spaniard against another.

[@EmyMills]

Exactly

[@mrn13]

"Tourist not welcome" is a far-left movement, and therefore, their friends in the media give them the attention, and therefore the "tourist not welcome" phenomena is now showing up in places not at all affected by mass-tourism....Fact is that rents have gone up in all of the world, including places in Spain not affected by mass-tourism

[@TonuAlex]

Pedro Sanchez visiting India should be a main news considering the geopolitical scenario and the growing influence of India. Why is there less coverage on it in Spain?

[@marcusjenkins]

I'm not surprised that the protests haven't gone away. I expect people to continue to protest until they can find places that they can afford to live in their home towns. The gap between wages and rents continues to be much wider than it was, say, 15 years ago. With good reason people have had enough of gentrification and short term rentals. I saw a video on another YT channel of an immigrant family of four 'just getting by' on €8,700 a month. This just sets the bar for normal Spaniards on normal Spanish wages who now can't afford to eat out, can't afford rent, can't afford to go to concerts, can't afford anything that they used to be able to, basically.

[@rsnankivell1962]

But tourism is not to blame for this. The blame lies with the socialist and communist housing policies and laws that are against private property and that have been in place in Spain for many years.

[@joeterra.t]

Yes, that video was from "Spain Revealed" and understandably sparked quiet the outrage from Spaniards. Yet he continues to act as a sleazy middle-man who imports these rich people, pushing prices even higher. I followed that guy for years because he seemed to actually be passionate about Spain until his recent videos about how "live a certain lifestyle in Spain". I hope his Madrid friends see the video and question him about it because he is part of the problem, even if he downplays and denies it.

[@edl7454]

@@rsnankivell1962 Correct, if the inept socialist government would create a business climate, unemployment and housing issues would greatly diminish. Double digit unemployment give me a break.

[@edl7454]

@@joeterra.t Spain has to establish a solid employment base comprised of spaniards , the government is clueless to provide this. They are great at infrastructure and other projects but they are still too anti business . Lot of countries with less resources have better unemployment numbers. Want an example IRELAND . 4.4 unemployment rate. I don't think Spain Revealed's host is an importer of wealthy Americans. Americans that live in a very expensive area in the USA see a bargain and take advantage of it. AIRBNB is the same.

[@joeterra.t]

@@edl7454 Then you obviously didn't see his videos. He has several of them. And that's just the ones whom he interviewed. But keep on living in your delusion.

[@marcusjenkins]

Apparently, if only Vox were running the country, every household would have €8,700 to spend every month - excluding mortgage / rent because we'd all be rich enough to buy a €600k home outright. Under Vox, Spain can return to the huge prosperity and universal happiness that it enjoyed between 1939 and 1975. 🤣🦄

[@lee10330]

Thanks from Colin. you used my article.

[@niguel4438]

Be careful what you wish for mis amigos!

[@marcusjenkins]

​@@niguel4438 Of course Spain can't afford to lose all its tourist income. What it could do is just 'turn it down from eleven'. One very quick way to do this would be to roll out per person, per night taxes, as raised in Barcelona, all across Spain. It could also adopt the measures to curb short term rentals as in Valencia. The income could fund social housing and the very-slightly reduced tourist demand could be fulfilled by hotels without the need to use housing stock for short term rentals. Plus it would discourage "bottom of the barrel" tourists who are only in Spain for the cheapest booze, cigarettes and all-day-breakfasts.

[@edl7454]

@@marcusjenkins OK Taxes will fix everything . Spain is dealing with a phenomenon known as AIRBNB and other short term renters . It also has lousy property laws that protect the tenant more than it protects the landlord. I know I have owned 2 homes in Spain.

[@marcusjenkins]

​@@edl7454 Absolutely there are problems with the laws that enable squatting and the 'pay two months and stop' game. I certainly wouldn't like to be a landlord with the laws as they stand today. But that's a different discussion from overtourism. Tourism numbers have bounced back higher than pre-pandemic numbers. Again, we need a quick solution to just turn it down a bit whilst still maintaining income to the country. Per person per night tourist taxes like those already being collected in all of Catalunya today are one quick way to achieve that.

[@rsnankivell1962]

Protesters are a few communist boycotters, but they make a lot of noise. 99% of Spaniards are in favour of tourism and tourists don't bother them.

[@joeterra.t]

Say, when you pulled that "99%" figure right out of your behind, did you happen to find an intro course into statistics in there? Do let us know or we'll provide you one.

[@fernandopelao6565]

True

[@EmyMills]

Absolutely right