A simple request of the account in a bar of a Spanish paradise island became at the starting point for a deeper debate on the effects of mass tourism. Angel Aguiló, a user of social network X (former Twitter), reported that after drinking two beers, the employee said to him, “Yes, I make you price of neighboring, which are here.” The phrase implied that tourists pay more, reflecting the growing tension between residents and tourist sector.
Episode that gained thousands of reactions
According to the Spanish digital newspaper HuffPost, the publication of the occurrence in Palma de Mallorca quickly became viral, exceeding 20,000 views and gathering thousands of comments. Many island residents were identified, sharing similar experiences. One user vented: “It shouldn’t be like that… but it has to be like that,” summarizing the dilemma created by tourist pressure.
Another shared example was that of a buyer to whom, in a tomato board, the saleswoman asked, “Who are they?” Innuting that the price could vary depending on the destination: tourist or resident.
Local trade and cultural identity
Several comments underlined the importance of protecting neighborhood trade. User @isnessie wrote: “The neighborhood trade is a culture that should also be protected.” Journalist Abel Riu, on the other hand, argued that this type of differentiation should be a rule in mass areas: “Let us take care, we protect ourselves priority.”
A question that goes beyond Most
The episode, according to the same source, is not isolated and arises in a context of growing discontent in various tourist regions of Spain. Access to housing, basic services and even beaches have become more difficult for local inhabitants, who see their quality of life pressured by external demand.
Quoted by the same source, the British newspaper The Times recently warned of the impact of tourist inflation, stressing that “a week on the beach is out of reach of many Spaniards.” Postpandeia ‘boom’ has triggered the prices of stays, meals and transportation to unpublished levels.
Spanish increasingly traveling out
As a result, many citizens opt for vacation abroad, where they find more affordable prices and less tourist saturation. On the other hand, historical destinations within Spain became increasingly directed to international visitors.
A symptom of a larger division
On the paradise island of Palma de Mallorca, according to the seemingly banal gesture of a bar employee ended up exposing a structural problem: the growing division between those who live in the islands and who only visit them. For residents, treat better who is “from the earth” comes as a way to resist tourist pressure, even if it translates into the price of a simple beer.
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