Tourists go home - a European revolt

[AisleSeat]

Seems some Spaniards, Croatians and Italians have had enough of tourists.

Eventually I join a tour that takes us through the rabbit warren past an old Croatian woman dressed in black sitting on her steps with her hands on her knees, muttering angrily in her native tongue.

I didn't need the language to know she was not happy.

The streets were packed as cruise ships disgorged their passengers in the thousands, while the sun beat down on tired heads.

I heard the old woman spit out the words "Game of Thrones" before she spat on the footpath as she walked by.

European tourism prompts locals to declare 'enough is enough' as visitor numbers grow - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[Cossie]

I believe store holders in the market at Las Ramblas in Barcelona feel the same way. Tourists visit to take photos and selfies and don't buy anything, the local shoppers feel they are being pushed out of 'their' market.

Ban selfy sticks I say!

 

[TomVexille]

Ban selfy sticks I say!

You can say that again

 

[amaroo]

The scourge of the cruise trade!

Cruise lines promise big payouts, but the tourist money stays at sea

 

[Pushka]

The scourge of the cruise trade!

Cruise lines promise big payouts, but the tourist money stays at sea

With the exception of the environmental issues I'm going to dispute most of economic assumptions made in that report. Tourism is one of Barcelona's main income sources and cruising, as Barcelona is a major embarkation port, receives a huge boost from it.

 

[eastwest101]

Yeah The Conversation has no economic credibility and the article is a collection of unfounded vague assertions. Even ABC Radio can produce a more informative and balanced story that I heard a few weeks ago, the Cruise Line industry spokesperson was quite happy to discuss what the industry is doing to reduce its environmental footprint to the the journalist, I would be betting that they weren't even asked to comment by The Conversation.

Lazy by the numbers clickbait 'journalism' for guilty economic illiterates...

 

[RB]

This report has some interesting figures for Barcelona (mention of cruising is on P33)
2016OTB2.pdf

 

[moa999]

Almost missed my ferry from Dubrovnik to Split as it took 20min to get out the very narrow gate in the old city, then massive bus queue and no taxis.

 

[amaroo]

Yeah The Conversation has no economic credibility and the article is a collection of unfounded vague assertions. Even ABC Radio can produce a more informative and balanced story that I heard a few weeks ago, the Cruise Line industry spokesperson was quite happy to discuss what the industry is doing to reduce its environmental footprint to the the journalist, I would be betting that they weren't even asked to comment by The Conversation.

Lazy by the numbers clickbait 'journalism' for guilty economic illiterates...

LOL, The Venetians are revolting!

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/residents-vote-to-ban-towering-cruise-ships-from-venice-67qvsh329

 

[n7of9]

LOL, The Venetians are revolting!

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/residents-vote-to-ban-towering-cruise-ships-from-venice-67qvsh329

Yes, they are. Your link about the Venetians holding a revolt was also interesting.

 

[AnnaB]

Considering how some tourists behave I am not surprised... no respect and no consideration. Elbowing their way through, never taking care of what they do or where... then all the littering and drunken behaviour. There are a lot that are really good, but the hordes of rude people get to me...

 

[Simo]

Unfortunately cruise ships can create chaos due to the fact 4000 people getting off and going to the markets and tourists hot spots close to the cruise ship terminal. I work in area that gets crazy because of tourism I am more than happy as the locals can afford to spend more with me later on.

 

[burmans]

There are a lot that are really good, but the hordes of rude people get to me...

With any luck the Donald will build a wall around the US and protect us from this.

 

[AnnaB]

With any luck the Donald will build a wall around the US and protect us from this.

HAHAHAHAAAA! Can he build one around China and Russia too? I love how the Chinese tourists dont care about what they do, walking in restricted areas in parks, climbing trees in the Botanical Gardens, elbowing their way through and gets offended when you tell them off

 

[fairbasa]

With the exception of the environmental issues I'm going to dispute most of economic assumptions made in that report. Tourism is one of Barcelona's main income sources and cruising, as Barcelona is a major embarkation port, receives a huge boost from it.

Yea agreed. My folks are spending 3 nights there before a cruise (for flight timing reasons) when it's actually pretty low on their list of places to go.

 

[dajop]

HAHAHAHAAAA! Can he build one around China and Russia too? I love how the Chinese tourists dont care about what they do, walking in restricted areas in parks, climbing trees in the Botanical Gardens, elbowing their way through and gets offended when you tell them off

USA, Russia, China. It doesn't take too much of an effort to find misbehaving Australian (or British) tourists either. Although much more likely late at night in the vicinity of anywhere alcohol is served

I find whatever the nationality, large groups sightseeing together tend to be more disruptive than an equivalent number of individual/separate family/separate small group tourists in the same space. Get 50 people on a walking tour and they dominate, completely ignore everyone else and don't even let people walking in the opposite direction pass by. Get 50 individuals/small groups and it all seems to work fairly seamlessly and people act with more consideration to others.

 

[Deleted member]

And bl**dy Facebook.

I believe store holders in the market at Las Ramblas in Barcelona feel the same way. Tourists visit to take photos and selfies and don't buy anything, the local shoppers feel they are being pushed out of 'their' market.

Ban selfy sticks I say!

 

[Deleted member]

Frankly, I don't blame them. It has been some 15 years since I was last in Venice. You could pick the local, he or she was the one who dropped their shoulder as they walked toward you. It's mayhem.

 

[AisleSeat]

I find whatever the nationality, large groups sightseeing together tend to be more disruptive than an equivalent number of individual/separate family/separate small group tourists in the same space. Get 50 people on a walking tour and they dominate, completely ignore everyone else and don't even let people walking in the opposite direction pass by. Get 50 individuals/small groups and it all seems to work fairly seamlessly and people act with more consideration to others.

When I was in Florence last year. I was a bit shocked at the size and number of tour groups all milling about in the piazza. About 7 groups of 50+. (Granted they did appear to be mostly school groups, so with that type of cohort, size is probably unavoidable)

 

[Cossie]

I guess if you earn your income from tourism, then the more the merrier, but I can understand if you live somewhere like that and not be invovled in that industry it would be a pia.

As an example, we are in Monchau a small town in Germany close to Belgium, during the day there were lots of tourists but most had disappeared by 5pm.
Same with places like Cesky Krumlov, it's best to try to stay overnight and not do a day trip, imo.

Now off to Spa and a quick lap of the Nurburgring tomorrow, before heading down to Trier for Rallye Deutscland. Guess I'm contributing to the issue as well.