They have not suddenly gone mad
It was a performance of high symbolism. About 200 activists gathered on a popular beach in Mallorca, Spain, to protest the effects of overtourism on the environment, on rent and prices in general, and on their daily lives. On this small beach, a cove with emerald waters, 4,000 visitors and 1,200 cars arrive every day to take a photo and post it on Instagram. In videos posted online, locals can be seen shouting at foreign visitors to “go away, go away!” This particular protest was the latest in a series of demonstrations being held in Mallorca for the same reason.
In Greece, we may not have similar incidents, with locals shouting at tourists to “go away,” but dissatisfaction has been expressed on several occasions. Last year, various movements, such as the Citizens’ Movement for Free Beaches of Paros, which was widely supported by the public, expressed concern about what overtourism brings. In some cases protesters even expressed anger at the illegal sunbeds and land encroachment by beach bar owners.
The recent wildfire on the Saronic island of Hydra has shifted concern from the land to the sea, where superyachts cause traffic jams each summer
The inhabitants of popular Mediterranean countries have not suddenly gone mad. The Greeks who expressed their concern and anxiety, especially those living in small areas, with limited carrying capacity and insufficient infrastructure, were not mad. There are many people who complain about the lack of water on the island of Tinos and the problems it creates in the primary sector. The same applies for those who say that overbuilding is altering the character of some islands.
What’s more, the recent wildfire on the Saronic island of Hydra has shifted concern from the land to the sea, where superyachts cause traffic jams each summer.
The reactions would have been clearly milder if the state had taken care to set strict rules and conduct regular inspections. As long as the ambiguity, the gray areas of the law, and the usual Greek peculiarities remain unsolved, public reactions will flare up. We love tourism, we are a touristic and welcoming country, but we want rules.
