Laurence Dollimore
PACKED beaches, gridlocked traffic and unclean water are among the warnings for potential holidaymakers in Spain this summer.
Millions are expected to hit Spain as a safer alternative to terror hotspots like Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey, who have been plagued by terror attacks in recent years.
Environmentalists have warned that Spanish cities could become severely overcrowded, and that their infrastructure may be unable to cope with the ‘crush’.
“This will be a crazy year,” said Gerard Hau, a spokesman for the Grup Balear d’Ornitologia Defensa de la Naturalesa (GOB) in the Balearic Islands.
“The infrastructure will not cope. Mallorca is booked out. We will have serious problems this summer.
“People come here to enjoy life, but they are stressed because they can’t get a seat on the buses – there aren’t enough buses. Already we have 60,000 rental cars on this island.”
The influx of tourists is despite the Foreign Office labelling Spain as a high risk destination following the discovery of several Islamic Terrorist plots aimed at tourists in Spanish hotspots.
The environmentalists have warned of overbookings, gridlocked streets and high levels of stress.
They also suggest there may be issues with water and sewage networks, meaning tourists will not even be able to cool off in the sea.
Packed beaches, gridlocked traffic and unclean water are the norm every summer in Spain. As all resident expats know, the best time to leave Spain to get some respite is July and August. I for one can’t wait for a break during those months.