This short thought piece by James Blick hits a sensitive spot as I want to believe that most of us try to be the “right” type of traveler, tourist or otherwise. You can see his full piece at Spain Revealed
What does it mean to be the ‘right’ kind of tourist? And is there a ‘wrong’ kind?
As Spain sees a surge in post-pandemic tourism, some well-known tourist hotspots are reevaluating their clientele.
Take Magaluf, cheekily known as Shagaluf, for its reputation as a budget-friendly, high-energy party hub.
Now, along with other locations on the island, it’s trying on a new persona.
To begin with, resorts in some areas of the island decided to set a limit: no more than six drinks per day at all-inclusive establishments.
The goal? Tamp down on the over-imbibing.
The next move? Across Mallorca, hotels and restaurants are hiking their prices.
They’re hoping to scale down mass tourism and lure in a different crowd, often called “upmarket” tourists.
This hit a nerve with me.
When I ran the day-to-day of Devour Tours, our aim was always to attract what we dubbed the “culturally-curious tourists”.
Our marketing was (and still is) geared towards enticing people who weren’t just on the hunt for a good time but also eager to explore and engage with local culture.
I get why parts of Mallorca want to ditch the boozed-up image. It appears some tourists to the island (often students from the EU) buy alcohol from convenience stores and crash on the beach instead of booking hotels.
But the conversation around “quality tourism” needs to tread carefully.
Is someone less of a quality tourist if they’re culturally curious but don’t have much money?
Absolutely not.
Tourism businesses have the right to decide their target market.
But destinations need to approach this carefully.
Yes, they should strive to attract tourists who are genuinely interested in the place, not just keen on getting plastered.
However, separating this aspiration from the tourists’ budget is crucial.
I believe destinations should cater to various budgets to maintain their cultural richness. And, well, to provide fair access to everything they offer.
If Mallorca or any destination morphs into a playground exclusively for affluent tourists, they will quickly lose their charm.
This could also lead to an economically unsustainable situation for local residents, potentially pushing them to the fringes in their own community. Some locals say this is already happening on the island.
