Brits sympathise with protesting Europeans ‘sick of overtourism’ – but will continue to head abroad

A new survey shows that Brits understand the concerns of residents in places like Spain, the Balearics and Greece, who say they’re being priced out of living in their hometowns by holiday lets and rarely see the benefit of holiday spending.

The survey, carried out by the UK’s leading stag and hen organiser, Last Night of Freedom, found that 64% of people agreed or strongly agreed that they should take only one foreign holiday a year, while 86% thought that tourism spending should benefit local small businesses.

More than seven out of ten also believe that British tourists should be able to enjoy once-in-a-lifetime experiences abroad, like stag or hen parties or a wedding, without guilt.

But in news that could worry tourism chiefs in cities which have launched specific ‘stay away’ campaigns to discourage British visitors, like Prague and Barcelona, less than a quarter of respondents (21%) said that they would feel comfortable visiting cities who are openly hostile to tourists.

Matt Mavir, managing director at Last Night of Freedom, said: “From the package holiday boom of the 1970s to budget airline-fuelled city breaks of the past 20 years, tourism has undoubtedly changed the face of many European towns and cities.

“There are legitimate concerns, especially in the numbers of holiday lets which are squeezing out locals from traditional residential neighbourhoods in some big European cities.

“The survey shows that our customers sympathise with those who live and work in tourist hotspots, and that they want those people to feel the benefit of their spending - a sensible view which I am sure is shared by many of those protesting.

“We have 25 years of experience and work with local people in each destination to ensure our customers have the best experience and are made to feel welcome, and we are keen that local providers are the ones who see the benefit.

“A good stag or hen party is a rite of passage, something that most people will remember forever and we fully encourage our customers to embrace the occasion, wherever they choose to celebrate.”

The Spanish holiday resort of Benidorm is the most popular destination for British stags, according to the Geordie firm’s booking data, but UK destinations have bounced back in recent years and rank highly for both men and women looking for a pre-wedding getaway.

Of the 250 people surveyed, 42% said their perfect stag or hen party would be held in a European destination, while just under 51% would want to stay in the UK, with the rest looking beyond Europe’s borders for their ultimate break.