Brit holidaymakers face hate attacks from Spanish locals as millions flock to avoid ISIS threat in Turkey and Tunisia
Resentment is growing among locals in popular beach destinations as Spain is swamped by 67 million visitors this year
BRITISH tourists have been labelled ‘terrorists’ by Spanish yobs as holidaymakers flock to traditional destinations such as Majorca in their millions following ISIS attacks in France and North Africa.
The Spanish tourism industry is booming after rival hot spots such as Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia have been blacklisted following bomb assaults and political unrest.
It is estimated that Spain has enjoyed up to 15% more visitors with the tourism board claiming that 67 million tourists have flocked to the country, which has a population of 47 million, this year.
And the huge influx of foreigners has caused resentment among many locals.
Earlier this year, thugs in Majorca capital Palma spray painted two historical buildings with the messages: “Tourist go home: Refugees welcome” and “Tourist: You are the terrorist.”
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The Guardian reports that the sick graffiti was removed by local authorities.
Reports claims five million more people have visited the sun-drenched country.
Spanish travel industry expert Rafael Gallego said: “Between 12 per cent and 15 per cent of the tourists coming to Spain wouldn't have come here were it not that those destinations that compete directly with Spain for sun and beaches are closed due to tragic events.”
But the sudden drop in the value of the pound has resulted in many Brits opting for all-inclusive deals.
Speaking with , Humphrey Carter of the Majorca Daily Bulletin said: “It has been a record year here and has sparked a big political debate over whether the island is now full.”
Luis Clar, who heads an association in the La Seu neighbourhood of Palma, told : “They want to turn us into a theme park, a place you close the doors on at night because no-one lives there.”
The colossal tourism surge comes as holidaymakers shun resorts in France, Tunisia, Egypt and Turkey after terror attacks blighted vacation hot spots.
In the week after the Nice terror attack killed 84 people arrivals fell 8.8 per cent on the same week in 2015.
Bookings to the southern city dropped by 57 per cent, according to ForwardKeys, which analyses airline data.
Holidays to Egypt have nearly halved following the downing of a Russian passenger plane in October 2015 official figures show, while the number of tourists arriving in Turkey has fallen dramatically after a number of terror attacks and the failed military coup in July.
And beach resorts in Tunisia, which used to be popular with British holidaymakers, are now ghost towns after tourists were gunned down by a Kalashnikov-wielding terrorist in Sousse in June, 2015.
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