Walter Finch
BRITS are increasingly shunning Spain in favour of alternative European destinations following months of anti-tourism protests and tightening regulations, new research reveals.
Amsterdam has now overtaken Spain as the most sought-after holiday spot for UK travellers, with the Dutch capital attracting 42,000 flight searches per month from British tourists, according to analysis by One Sure Insurance.
The dramatic shift comes in the wake of mass demonstrations in several Spanish hotspots last week, where protesters blamed tourist apartments and speculators for driving up housing costs to unaffordable levels.
The nationwide uprising came after months of protests hitting the country, driven to a large part by a backlash against mass tourism.
Spain’s introduction of stricter regulations on drinking, smoking, and vaping at public beaches in tourist areas appears to have further dampened the UK’s traditional love affair with Spanish holidays.
“We’re seeing a trend of more adventurous travellers who are looking to explore beyond the usual hotspots,” a spokesperson for One Sure Insurance said.
“Brits are looking to avoid over-tourism protests and are considering staycations as an alternative to travelling abroad.”
Cities including Budapest, Krakow, and Athens are experiencing a surge in interest from British travellers looking for alternative sunshine breaks, while Edinburgh has risen to fourth place in the rankings, reflecting a growing appetite for domestic tourism.
The news will come as a blow to Spain’s tourism industry, which has historically relied heavily on British visitors.
In 2024, UK tourists were the leading international market with 18.4 million arrivals – significantly ahead of French and German visitors, who numbered 13 and 12 million respectively.
And the Brits spent over €22.6 billion in Spain in 2024, up 13.5% from 2023, and more than double what the French spent, making them the top spenders among all nationalities
Tourism accounts for approximately 12% of Spain’s GDP, with British visitors making up a substantial portion of that revenue, particularly in areas popular with expats like the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca.
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The trend raises questions about whether the vocal anti-tourism protests, which saw demonstrations in Barcelona, Mallorca and the Canary Islands earlier this year, may ultimately damage the very economies they claimed to be protecting.
“Brits are moving beyond the usual beach holiday locations to cities which offer not only history and culture, but also a fresh experience,” the One Sure Insurance spokesperson added.
A lot of Brits I see in Spain, particularly Costa Blanca are non-stop drinkers starting at 10a. You’ve got 50+ year old fat guys walking around without a shirt, covered in tattoos and piercings and walking into restaurants with shirts or shoes, they’re really disgusting IMO. No wonder Spain doesn’t like them. At night they walk around wasted. In Benidorm, british women are so fat, they have electric scooters for them. The fat ones driving around in scooters, men and women. They’ve destroyed they’re own country with immigration and now they’re going to destroy Spain by voting for liberal governments. Please find another country to vacation in, I’m planning to retire in Spain, I’m not interested in seeing all these slobby ppl with nose rings, piercings and tattoos everywhere, scary bunch they are.