British holidaymakers are increasingly choosing alternative destinations over Spain following a series of high-profile overtourism protests across the country. Travel company executives report that clients are expressing concerns about being unwelcome, with some explicitly stating they will not visit places where they feel unwanted.
Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2holidays, told Travel Weekly that media coverage of the protests has reinforced perceptions that tourists are not welcome, worrying potential visitors. Ryan Lambton, a personal travel consultant at Hays Travel, noted that several customers have messaged to say they are now reluctant to book trips to Spain.
Karl Douglas, co-owner of Beverley Travel, added that clients have said, 'We don’t want to go somewhere we’re not wanted,' and are choosing destinations where they feel welcome. Sandra Mutter, director at Andara Travel, observed that bookings to Dubai and Jordan are strong, while the protests in Spain, particularly in Majorca, appear to have had an impact.
Caroline Thorne, head of travel at East of England Co-op Travel, noted that overtourism protests are now a bigger talking point with customers than the conflict in the Middle East. Despite these concerns, overall demand for travel to Spain has not been severely affected, though some minor dips in hotel bookings have been reported.
The protests, which included coordinated marches and actions in Spain, Portugal, and Italy, saw campaigners targeting tourists with water pistols and chanting for change. Demonstrators are frustrated with rising house prices, low wages, and overcrowded public spaces, demanding a new tourism model.
