Digital2013
Well-Known Member
Noticed on BBC News today that Palma in Majorca has banned apartment holiday rentals for the same reasons Ibiza has been struggling, locals being priced out
what some of the locals think...
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William2021
Active Member
Never understood why anyone would complain about 'noisy tourists'. Have never experienced any of that (except on the disco bus when everyone is understandably excited). I've stayed in San Antonio every summer for the past 5 years and I am always surprised how quiet it is on any given day or night. I even tipped the receptionist because I had such a good night's rest. There might be one or two streets where tourists are drunk and finding their way back home, but is that reason enough to justify a protest demonstration? My colleagues at work are much older and always book their hotels near Santa Eulalia because they have heard so many unfavourable stories about the westend in the press and they just instinctively avoid it altogether. I feel the reputation of Ibiza is being tarnished without any serious provocation. I see and hear far worse behaviour on a typical night out in Belfast.
William2021
Active Member
Yes I did, but I'm talking about the recent stories in the press in the past week which stated that rowdy tourists and noise pollution are increasing on the island which is one of the key issues of the topic i.e. 'what some of the locals think', and several other message boards have tried to pin the blame on British tourists as being one of the worst influences on the island, and how British police have in past years come to the island just to keep the peace. I simply believe from my experience on the island that the stories of noise pollution and bad British behaviour are greatly exaggerated and the media are doing more harm than good. There will always be trouble makers at any location across the globe where alcohol and drugs are freely available. Merely adding my two cents.
Digital2013
Well-Known Member
The British media love a good 'Brits cause havoc abroad' story, its a lazy way of filling the papers. Every Summer we get stories about Ibiza, Maga, Malia etc and often the pictures used are very old.
Some British tourists are an issue, but the media spin things. Then its usually followed by an equally lazy 'Magalluf is going upmarket. British jobs banned' type story that gets repeated every winter.
William2021
Active Member
I agree with the contents of that statement and their grievances are right, but the only solution that comes to mind is to cut down on tourism and persuade the local government to change their economic priorities. You have to admit that the media is portraying British tourists in a negative light which creates the impression that they are partly responsible for Ibiza's problems in recent years. When we arrived in San Antonio last time we were greeted with graffiti sprayed on the walls which said "TOURISTS GO HOME!" which must have been directed towards British tourists because it was written in English. I agree that the wellbeing of residents and local communities are being unfairly treated while tourism is given far greater preference and importance and that certainly does need to be addressed, but there must be a way were both local affairs and tourism can work side by side.
McRackin
Super Moderator
what press, the british?! i check the local press daily 365 days per year and don't see none of that!
there's other nationalities that also speak english, you know! anyway, that was just a poor idiot who wanted to imitate what was happening in barcelona and did a couple of graffitis in ibiza town and san antonio... that was all!
Kim Wrong Un
Active Member
dunno if you ever studied geography but English is also spoken outside the UK (and often better too..)
The phenomenon you speak of is everywhere. Venice and Barcelona, where I'm based, have felt the backlash too. I see it in my backyard every single day at all the main Gaudi heritage sites.
obviously, Brits misbehaving don't help the situation, but the fundamental issues go way deeper.
personally I would like to eradicate all trash tourism from the Mediterranean. it's had its day - and that applies as much to rich Russians on yachts as kids in football tops.
any brave politician standing on an eco-friendly, sustainable-economy, nu-tourism ticket would get my vote.
jimmiz
Well-Known Member
Amen
If I was gay I would ask you to marry me Oliver
(remember our talk at Portinatx about Wax da Jam and Shovell?, I love to ask male friends to marry me when I am drunk
...and I am tonight )
William2021
Active Member
Yes I am fully aware that English is a universal language, but considering that San Antonio largely caters for and attracts British tourists and 90 percent of the people I see and meet there in the past five years have been British (to the point that they joke in the British run pubs that Ibiza feels like a colony in the British Empire) then I think it is a safe bet that the "tourists go home" graffiti in San An was directed towards the British tourists in an effort to stop us Brits taking over the island and assimilating it into a giant British resort like Blackpool. Having the image that we are taking over the island is certainly not a good thing, but that is the general feeling over here especially as more flights are becoming available to Ibiza. e.g. There used to be only 2 flights per week to Ibiza from Belfast and none of my mates were going, and now there are 4 flights per week and they're all booking to go to Ibiza these days. My colleague at work has been 11 times in just the past few years because Ibiza in his words is a very welcoming place (as long as you've got the dosh to afford it).
However Brexit may soon change all of that.
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stivi
Well-Known Member
Yes I am fully aware that English is a universal language, but considering that San Antonio largely caters for and attracts British tourists and 90 percent of the people I see and meet there in the past five years have been British (to the point that they joke in the British run pubs that Ibiza feels like a colony in the British Empire) then I think it is a safe bet that the "tourists go home" graffiti in San An was directed towards the British tourists in an effort to stop us Brits taking over the island and assimilating it into a giant British resort like Blackpool. Having the image that we are taking over the island is certainly not a good thing, but that is the general feeling over here especially as more flights are becoming available to Ibiza. e.g. There used to be only 2 flights per week to Ibiza from Belfast and none of my mates were going, and now there are 4 flights per week and they're all booking to go to Ibiza these days. My colleague at work has been 11 times in just the past few years because Ibiza in his words is a very welcoming place (as long as you've got the dosh to afford it).
you completely miss the point aaron.
the island is saturated. nothing to do with neither brits nor san antonio.
fatphilb
Well-Known Member
Although I agree he is largely missing the point, to be fair to Aaron, what he is saying dows relate to it to a small extent, but its just one smaller part of a complex set of problems which have reached a tipping point which has forced locals to finally say enough is enough and to start organising themselves and demanding change. But they are up against money, power and vested interests.
craig72
No longer active
Would love to hear that shovel conversionAmen
If I was gay I would ask you to marry me Oliver
(remember our talk at Portinatx about Wax da Jam and Shovell?, I love to ask male friends to marry me when I am drunk
Kim Wrong Un
Active Member
I had a lot of hierbas that afternoon! Do vaguely remember J talking about Shovel! I know my friend the Balearic High Priestess who was with us knows him too. She ended up at wax da jam later that week, but we were already back in BCN by then.
jimmiz
Well-Known Member
oh Man...What a lovely afternoon with Oliver and his lovely girlfriend K on the beach in Portinatx...The real ibiza Vibe
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