Press
The city of Málaga is a tourist magnet, but the locals apparently feel overrun. They defend themselves with provocative messages.
Málaga – 2023 was a record year for tourism in the EU. According to the statistics agency Eurostat Almost 2.9 billion overnight stays were recorded in tourist accommodation. Smaller cities like Málaga in Spain are also feeling this. Picasso's birthplace is experiencing growing interest from visitors. But the flow of tourists also changes the local infrastructure, as more accommodation is needed. This causes resentment among the locals, which they are now expressing in creative ways.
Málaga residents scold tourists with stickers
On the official website The Spanish tourism portal highlights that Málaga “has given a new look in recent years (got, dR) and museums for every taste were inaugurated. It is emphasized: “If everyone agrees that Málaga is more beautiful than ever, there must be a reason for this.” Spain is also very popular with emigrants.
However, not “everyone agrees”. Malaga residents and locals are increasingly upset about the impact of tourism on their housing situation. They are now showing this with messages on stickers that they put on buildings in the city center where tourists stay during their vacation. These stickers tell tourists to “go home.” It also reads things like “Smells like tourists,” “Go the fuck home,” “A family used to live here,” and “This used to be my house.”
Sticker campaign is very popular: “Out of control”?
The inventor of the campaign is the bar owner Dani Drunko, who is from independent.co.uk is quoted. He was kicked out of his apartment, where he had lived for ten years, because his contract was not renewed. Reason: Space should be created for tourist rentals. However, he admits that his sticker campaign has now “gotten out of control”. He stresses that he has nothing against tourists, adding: “Everyone has joined in and given their best, so much so that they (the stickers, dR) printing and posting all over the streets of the center – I’m seeing more and more.”
Dani Pérez, spokesman for the Spanish PSOE party in the Málaga city council, spoke clearly about the situation on X/Twitter. “Walking through the streets of Malaga, it is virtually impossible to find an apartment building that is not secured with a lock and password,” he writes, posting a picture of key boxes under doorbells. What this means is that more and more apartments in the city center would be rented to tourists and not to city residents.
Pros and Cons: Tourism brings jobs
However, Juan Luis Gomez, a local lawyer, criticizes the campaign and warns against cursing tourism: “The same people who are against tourism then want jobs, as if our livelihoods here depend on the aerospace industry. “ He adds independent.co.uk adding: “It is one thing to regulate tourism and another to abolish tourism.”
However, a current analysis suggests that the desire to travel in southern Europe could soon decline again after the record year of 2023. Financial, social and political risks are the main reasons for this. Italy has already taken measures to better control the flow of tourists. Visitors to Venice now have to pay an entrance fee to the city; other places have beach fees or generally higher prices. (jh)
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