BRITS are more and more shunning Spain in favour of different European locations following months of anti-tourism protests and tightening rules, new analysis reveals.
Amsterdam has now overtaken Spain as essentially the most sought-after vacation spot for UK travellers, with the Dutch capital attracting 42,000 flight searches monthly from British vacationers, based on evaluation by One Positive Insurance coverage.
The dramatic shift comes within the wake of mass demonstrations in a number of Spanish hotspots final week, the place protesters blamed vacationer residences and speculators for driving up housing prices to unaffordable ranges.
The nationwide rebellion got here after months of protests hitting the nation, pushed to a big half by a backlash in opposition to mass tourism.
Spain’s introduction of stricter rules on consuming, smoking, and vaping at public seashores in vacationer areas seems to have additional dampened the UK’s conventional love affair with Spanish holidays.
“We’re seeing a pattern of extra adventurous travellers who wish to discover past the same old hotspots,” a spokesperson for One Positive Insurance coverage mentioned.
“Brits wish to keep away from over-tourism protests and are contemplating staycations as a substitute for travelling overseas.”
Cities together with Budapest, Krakow, and Athens are experiencing a surge in curiosity from British travellers in search of different sunshine breaks, whereas Edinburgh has risen to fourth place within the rankings, reflecting a rising urge for food for home tourism.
The information will come as a blow to Spain’s tourism trade, which has traditionally relied closely on British guests.
In 2024, UK vacationers have been the main worldwide market with 18.4 million arrivals – considerably forward of French and German guests, who numbered 13 and 12 million respectively.
And the Brits spent over €22.6 billion in Spain in 2024, up 13.5% from 2023, and greater than double what the French spent, making them the highest spenders amongst all nationalities
Tourism accounts for roughly 12% of Spain’s GDP, with British guests making up a considerable portion of that income, significantly in areas well-liked with expats just like the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca.
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The pattern raises questions on whether or not the vocal anti-tourism protests, which noticed demonstrations in Barcelona, Mallorca and the Canary Islands earlier this 12 months, might finally harm the very economies they claimed to be defending.
“Brits are shifting past the same old seashore vacation areas to cities which supply not solely historical past and tradition, but in addition a recent expertise,” the One Positive Insurance coverage spokesperson added.
