15-05-2025
Don't believe what you hear – Spain still loves British tourists
While tucking into a huge sea bass and looking out across the bustling beach in Port de Sóller, Majorca, the hum of the famous tram in the background, it was hard to believe we're in a country that reportedly does not welcome tourists – and a town within it which made anti-tourism headlines all of its own recently.
It was the last week of April and, despite already being busy (the AI images got one thing right: getting on the tram was like taking the Tube in rush hour), all the locals we met and everyone we encountered working in hospitality was pleasant and personable. In fact, lots of the staff we met were tourists themselves.
We spent a few nights in the achingly pretty Fornalutx – rather like the Cotswolds of Spain – where we met a lovely hotel manager from the Midlands. She told us that the hostility stems from the fact that, like many popular hotspots in the UK, locals are being priced out of the property market due to a rise in holiday lets and second homes.
Majorca's population has risen by a third, from 727,000 to 960,000, in the last two decades and the hotel manager said that Fornalutx, in particular, had become ridiculously expensive. Nevertheless, all the locals we encountered there were friendly and helpful. One of the Spanish waitresses in the café we went to on our first night spent much of her precious time gladly explaining best way to get to Sóller, and even gave us a few restaurant recommendations.
When we arrived in Sóller (which is akin to the French Alps' Chamonix in spring, with mountains, wide skies and shuttered houses) and stopped to ask directions to our hotel, a kind local showed us the way.
Later that evening we spotted one of the waiters who served us the day before. He told us he was from Buenos Aires and his colleague, also Argentinian, said that most of the people they work with love the Brits.
When we returned home from our trip, I posted in a few social media groups asking about other people's experiences in Spain – and was inundated with positive responses.
Holly Gaffney, a marketing manager currently holidaying and working in Alicante, said everyone she had encountered had been kind and friendly.
'One of my favourite moments so far was joining a walking tour, where the guide actually thanked tourists and spoke about how much they've contributed to the city's growth throughout history. It was a thoughtful moment that added even more meaning to the experience.'
However, she admitted that she had also noticed a few signs of the reported anti-tourism sentiment.
'I've spotted a few posters here and there,' she said. 'But it seems to be aimed more at the housing situation than at individual travellers. It's a reminder of the broader impact of travel and how important it is to be a respectful, thoughtful visitor.'
Editor Georgia Lewis, who visited Majorca in January and last September with her husband Paul, said that even though she only speaks basic 'Spanglish', she always finds staff in restaurants to be patient and polite.
'I've found people across all the Spanish places we've visited to be super-friendly and welcoming. By the end of our trip to Barcelona – for my birthday in March 2024 – we felt like we'd made friends with the people at the cafe where we had breakfast every morning, as well as the guy behind the counter at the grocery store where my husband bought his beer.'
Lewis was also in Majorca when the Queen died in September 2022, and said all the front pages on Spanish newspapers paid tribute to her.
'At the petrol station that morning, the guy filling up the car clocked my husband's Geordie accent and said, 'Sorry about your Queen'. My husband was a bit taken aback, but thanked him for his kind words and they had a chat that ended in a handshake. It was a lovely moment.'
Meanwhile, therapist Rhian Kivits, who visited Malaga in March with her husband Rens, said they usually travel by Uber and have always found the drivers to be friendly and helpful.
'Most drivers chat about their own holidays (interestingly, they seem to like Spanish destinations – and who can blame them?), their favourite recommendations for day-trips and what life in Spain is like. Those who haven't spoken English always offer a greeting and a smile. And we are always wished 'safe travels' when we are dropped off at the airport.'
Kivits says they often stay in Benalmadena, where they have a few favourite places to eat and a hotel where they regularly stay.
'Staff have remembered us over the years and usually remember our favourite drinks and meals, too. Some even refer to us as 'family'.'
Writer Anna-Louise Dearden, who just returned from Malaga and Andalusia, said that although travelling solo in Malaga made her feel a bit like Shirley Valentine at times, most Spanish people were friendly.
'I think if you have a smattering of the local language, you get on much better,' she said. 'When I was in Andalusia with a group, the guy who spoke good Spanish had a whale of a time chatting to the locals.'
So what's the truth of it? Have the Spanish really turned on tourists, or are visitors still mostly received with that traditional warmth that's kept us coming back for decades. Ultimately, it comes down to the old adage: treat others as you wish to be treated, says Kivits.
'Smile, make basic conversation, say thank you in Spanish and show them you appreciate Spain.'
And with this simple ethos, there's certainly no reason to avoid this long-loved destination. With a bit of mutual respect, a Spanish holiday can remain a beloved British break.
