Tourists face hefty fines as Spanish crack down on beach chaos
The Spanish explicitly state that tourists' behaviour drives them mad. Police officers have taken firm steps, confiscating items which can only be retrieved by paying a hefty fine.
14 August 2024 16:33
During the summer season, Spanish beaches are teeming with tourists. However, their presence increasingly disrupts the lives of local residents.
They want to reserve spots on the beaches - they don't know they will be fined
"Clever" tourists believe they have devised a brilliant plan. Holidaymakers attempt to reserve the best spots on the beaches using towels, umbrellas, or sunbeds, either at dawn or the night before. However, Spanish officers are not in agreement and have taken firm steps.
Every morning, police patrols appear on the beaches and confiscate unattended sunbeds, umbrellas, and folding chairs. According to local regulations in effect on Spanish beaches, including those in the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, leaving one's equipment unattended before 8am is prohibited. This disrupts the efforts of beach cleaning crews to maintain cleanliness.
Confiscation of equipment is not the end of the issue. Those who wish to recover their items must report to the police station. Beach equipment will not be returned until the tourist pays £215. Often, the amount exceeds the value of the items left on the beach.
They've had enough of tourists
The discontent among Spanish residents against tourists began some time ago and is steadily gaining traction. Protests on the beaches of popular resorts, dousing holidaymakers with water and shouting offensive slogans have, unfortunately, become common. "Tourist go home" is a slogan often repeated by the Spanish.
In reality, however, millions of tourists mean billions of euros in revenue for many industries, including hoteliers, restaurateurs, shopkeepers, and tour operators. Completely getting rid of tourists would be detrimental to the Spanish economy.
