A small group of local residents on the popular Spanish holiday island of Menorca have staged an anti-tourism protest during festivities for the Sant Joan celebration in Ciutadella.
The festival attracts tourists from around the world, however the local residents group hung a banner stating “Sant Joan is not a business, it is a feeling. Enough of overcrowding”.
This news follows recent protests in Majorca, where locals have also launched campaigns against over-tourism.
Dubbed “Spain’s Mykonos” for its picturesque walls and pristine streets, Binibeca Vell, one of the busiest places in the south of Menorca is, from this year, only open to visitors from 11 am to 8pm.
According to the local owners’ association, this was done to protect the village from the more than 800,000 tourists who visit it every year.
Óscar Monge, President of local owners association said: “We have been a private urbanisation for 52 years, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to enjoy a quiet holiday, as we pay dearly for being the most popular tourist attraction in Menorca.
“Binibeca is promoted by the administration and tourism companies, but what benefit do we get out of it?”
