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Majorca panic as Magaluf mayor insists 'British tourists are welcome' in tourism row


The mayor of Calvia, some 12 minutes from Magaluf, has insisted that “all Brits are welcome” on the island.

Juan Antonio Amengual conceded there is some “tourismophobia” due to the behaviour of a small portion of holidaymakers but that the community remains very welcoming towards Britons.

Mr Amengual said: “We want people to enjoy their holidays with respect between tourists and residents.”

To maintain strong links with the British market, Mr Amengual’s town has launched a new campaign to promote responsible tourism and has joined forces with the British Embassy to enhance the image of Majorca.

Despite local campaigners calling on Britons to stay away from the island, the final occupancy data for June is expected to be at around 80 percent.

The Majorcan mayor is one of few positive voices speaking out in favour of British tourists as multiple holiday hotspots across Spain continue to lament growing concerns about overtourism.

Thousands have flooded the streets in dramatic protests against the rising wave of holidaymakers in recent months.

The world’s second-most visited nation has seen a burgeoning number of demonstrations decrying the negative impact of tourism.

Local residents in the Spanish cities of Malaga and Cadiz have united in protest claiming that rampant tourism is robbing them of reasonably priced housing options.

Bearing the rallying cry “Malaga to live, not to survive,” an estimated crowd of 5,500 citizens took to the historic heart of this iconic Andalusian city last month.

Close to fifty civic groups mobilised protestors who brandished banners with stark messages: “Ban on tourist accommodation” and “Salary of 1,300, rent of 1,100, how can you live?”

The province of Malaga is home to the largest inventory of tourist lodgings a staggering 39,000, including 6,500 within the city as per figures from the National Statistics Institute.

In the historical heart of Cadiz, a city steeped in Andalusian charm, locals took to the streets by the hundreds, their message stark and clear: “One more tourist, one less neighbour”.

The quaint port town, home to a mere 117,000 souls, has seen its ancient centre besieged by a fleet of cruise ships, with a staggering 20 docking this past June alone, per port data.

Last year, Barcelona banned cruise ships from docking at one of the terminals closest to the city centre and mayor Jaume Collboni said he is planning to strike a new agreement with port authorities to reduce the number of ships allowed to disgorge passengers into the Catalan capital.

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