24 June 2024 , 11:23
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Residents of Majorca and the Canary Islands are up in arms over the surge of tourists invading their home, sparking protests that have escalated dramatically. Footage of thousands taking to the streets of the Canary Islands has gone viral, as locals made a stand against the tidal wave of holidaymakers with the onset of summer.
BBC's Morning Live featured travel guru Ash Bhardwaj on Monday, where he joined hosts Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones to dissect the turmoil and its implications for Brits' upcoming vacations. Ash offered reassurance to viewers, promising that "the vast majority of us are going to have lovely summer holidays" saying that the protests are "not something to worry about".
He conceded that while the protests might be a nuisance and potentially mess with travel arrangements, since they don't amount to "civil unrest", there's no need for travellers to take drastic steps like scrapping their holiday plans, reports the Express. The protests are hitting some of Europe's most beloved holiday destinations hard, and while tourism is a financial windfall for these regions, it's also driving up living costs for the locals, Ash pointed out.
He acknowledged the residents' grievances over the repercussions of tourism but reassured: "It's only lasting a day or two. It's not unsafe." Ash concluded with a word of advice for globetrotters: "What it is, is a reminder for all of us to keep in touch with what's going on in the places that we're travelling to."
Holidaymakers have been put on high-alert after footage of heated exchanges between local dwellers and British vacationers in the Canary Islands went viral. The travel guru - who has the X handle @AshBhardwaj - revealed tips to ensure traveller safety during turbulent times.
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In addition to potential societal upheavals, Mother Nature also seems to be putting a damper on global vacations this year with raging wildfires tearing through Turkey, Greece and America. Highlighting the dangers these disasters pose to holidaymakers, Ash warned: "We're entering wildfire season, which peaks in July and August, and some of these places are seeing temperatures that peak at over 50 degrees Celsius.
"As a place gets drier and hotter, you're more likely to get wildfires." He further emphasised the risk by stating: "Over the last five years, 13 per cent of travel insurance claims have been evacuations or related to natural disasters, so this is something that can affect your travel."