'I live in Mallorca – this is what locals really think of you when you come on holiday'
manchestereveningnews.co.ukA British expat in Mallorca has taken to TikTok to challenge the misconceptions about anti-tourist feelings in Spain. In recent times, a series of anti-tourism protests have erupted in popular Spanish destinations, including on the mainland and the Balearic Islands.
The unrest has been visible through messages like "tourists go home" graffitied in English, while in Mallorca locals have paraded with signs stating: "Your paradise is our nightmare." The demonstrations are largely a response to the spike in rental prices, attributed to properties being bought up for tourist accommodation.
Ottilie Quince, a British cyclist with 11 World Transplant Games titles to her name, operates a bike shop in Mallorca and shares insights into local life on her TikTok account (@ottilieq).
In a couple of recent videos, Ottilie addressed questions regarding Mallorcans' attitudes towards tourists, refuting the idea that they are unwelcome. "What's happening is, prices are increasing for rent of properties, and bills, and obviously everything else," she explained. "But wages aren't increasing, so [for] local people - myself included - it's getting more and more tricky to actually live here. "It's not that people really hate tourists - they don't.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk