People have been documenting the quiet streets of a popular city in Spain, and it looks like the once bustling destination is now almost entirely deserted. Tourists think the holiday hotspot is “finished”
A once-thriving Spanish destination now appears “deserted” as British holidaymakers have reportedly abandoned the location for alternative breaks, marking yet another instance of Spain experiencing unusually quiet periods this year. Footage circulating online reveals completely vacant streets throughout the area.
Laura, who goes by lauratravelvlogs on TikTok, has been chronicling Barcelona’s dramatically different appearance this year, drawing from her own two-year residency in the city to highlight the stark reduction in visitor numbers. For several months, she’s been posting clips showcasing Spain’s eerily quiet thoroughfares, peaceful roads and abandoned coastlines – all demonstrating the significant shift in the nation’s tourism landscape.
Captioning a recent clip of remarkably quiet streets, Laura questioned: “Sorry, no one can argue that these roads leading up to the beach were not packed in 2023?” Regarding Spain’s newfound tranquillity in recent times, it appears others share her observations.
Laura noted that whilst some visitors remain “for now” at key attractions, she argued that expenditure has reached an “all time low”. She has witnessed a dramatic transformation over the past two years and remains astounded by the city’s quietness.
In an earlier post, Laura also demonstrated how deserted the city centre had become throughout the summer months because “tourists don’t feel welcome”. She suspects the demonstrations that have occurred across Spain have completely deterred potential visitors.
The video has sparked a flurry of comments since it was posted, with viewers expressing a range of opinions. The responses were quite mixed.
One individual commented: “One by one businesses from all sectors will start to close – that’s the sad thing.” Another chimed in with: “There’s already a lot of smaller towns that have fallen into despair.
“So many people have lost their jobs due to the drop in tourism. It’s madness – they’ll be begging people to go back in a few years.”
A third person responded: “Tourism in Spain is 40% down. The south coast of Spain was eerily quiet last week.” A fourth also added: “Spain is old news – there are far nicer countries to spend your money in.”
Some questioned when the video was filmed, while others suggested it wasn’t all doom and gloom. One person claimed they visited in March and saw “hundreds more” people around, despite some Brits declaring the destination as “finished” for tourism.
Reports suggest that Spain has been deserted by many tourists, with its restaurants and beaches appearing almost vacant. For the first time since the pandemic, parts of the country are witnessing a drop in visitor numbers, compounded by years of anti-tourist protests by locals.
In August, images from Benidorm showed rows of empty chairs outside various bars and restaurants and unusually quiet beaches. This is particularly unusual for such popular tourist spots during the summer months.
Miguel Pérez-Marsá, the head of the nightlife association, previously told Majorca Daily Bulletin: “The tourists we’re interested in are being driven away; they don’t feel welcome and are going to other destinations.” The impact is also being felt by tour guides.
Pedro Oliver, president of the College of Tour Guides, revealed that excursion sales have plummeted by 20% this summer. He said: “If you generate negative news, which has repercussions in other countries, tourists opt for other destinations when choosing their holidays,” adding, “We are sending the message that we don’t want tourists and that everything is too crowded.”