The popular resort in Spain that's so overcrowded even Spanish citizens can't afford to holiday there

Daily Mail​

5 days ago

With endless sandy beaches and countless restaurants, hotels and holiday homes, people in Spain should be spoilt for choice when it comes to holidaying in their own country.
Instead, they are having to opt for trips abroad while everyone else flies in to enjoy the summer months.
Last year, the holiday destination attracted 94 million tourists, while Spanish citizens reduced their travel in the country by 0.8 per cent, according to The Times.
Local residents have been priced out of popular resorts including Valencia, a city with rich history and beautiful coastal areas.
Carlos Moreno, 63, who works as a doorman in Madrid told The Times how the price to rent a flat for even a week has become unattainable.
He said: 'We used to pay about €1,200 for an apartment for 15 days. Now a week costs that much or even double.
'We can't afford a hotel and we don't fancy camping.'
Instead of heading to Valencia with his wife like usual, they have had to stay in Madrid.
While Wendy Davila, from Alicante, told Travel And Tour World how she finds beach areas in Spain too costly.
She said: 'Prices are exorbitant. The whole coast of Spain is very expensive.'
The 26-year-old added: 'Now you can't vacation wherever you want, but wherever you can afford.'
Instead of heading to popular coastal locations in Spain, locals are heading inland and according to the publication 1.7million Spaniards last year preferred central destinations over beaches.
There's a variety of reasons behind the shift, with hotel prices rising more then 50 per cent in the last four years and even the cost of a camping trip has shot up by 11 per cent.
While the price of apartments have reportedly increased by 37 per cent.
If a Spaniard does choose to go away to a local beach, they then have to face the rising cost of eating out which has increased by more than 21 per cent since 2021.
Flights have also shot up within the country by 8 per cent between January and April.
Instead of heading to popular coastal locations in Spain, locals are heading inland and according to the publication 1.7million Spaniards last year preferred central destinations over beaches
It may not be surprising, then, that local residents are also increasingly opting for trips out of the country to more affordable destinations.
Alex Villeyra, tourism data company Mabrian boss, told The Times: 'Last year, Spaniards reduced their domestic travel by 0.8 per cent, while increasing their international trips by 12 per cent.'
The cost of living crisis in Spain is having an impact too, with a third of Spaniards saying they can't afford a week-long holiday, according to National Statistics Institute, The Olive Press reported.
Experts blame staggering rental price increases, with 40 per cent of those renting not being able to afford regular holidays, in contract to 28 per cent of those who own a home.
Tensions in the country over tourism have been brimming recently, too.
Last year, anti-tourism protestors filled the streets of the Basque city of San Sebastian.
Activists walked behind a banner that said in Basque and Spanish: 'Decrease in tourism now.'
While demonstrations on April 5th took place across major Spanish towns and cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga and Palma.
According to organizers, 30,000 people took to the streets of Malaga - a seaside town in the south of Spain - as they demanded solutions to the housing crisis, with banners reading: 'Houses for the people of Málaga. Hotels for tourists, affordable rents.'
But police reported that around 5,000 demonstrators took part in the Malaga march.
Residents were photographed holding banners with the slogan: 'Houses for the people of Málaga. Hotels for tourists'.
Some also hung posters from their balconies and windows with messages saying: 'Housing is a right, not a business'.