Magaluf looks empty as Brits ‘shun hols hotspot because they are tired of being demonised' while resort cleans up image
MAGALUF is looking unusually bare as Brits shunned the popular holiday spot after feeling "tired of being demonised".
Dozens of beach sunbeds lay empty as the usual UK party-animals were nowhere to be seen - opting to spend their time in Benidorm instead.
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Figures published last week showed Benidorm's leading visitors were Brits and its average hotel occupancy rate had reached almost 85 per cent in May.
Meanwhile, pictures of the Spanish resort showed deserted beaches and empty restaurants - a steep contrast to what was once described as a "lawless party" hub.
Deck chairs that would previously have been filled with boozing Brits sat empty, whilst Magaluf's once crowd-stricken streets appeared decidedly desolate.
The barren resort is a positive change for many locals, who despaired at the "touristification" of their town.
They're welcoming instead a new wave of tourists hailing from different European countries, which they hope will clean up the resort's image.
Nightclub boss, Migue Perez-Masra, told local press that Playa de Palma, near the Majorcan capital, has seen a sharp increase in German tourists.
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He claimed young Brits are turning their backs on Magaluf after feeling 'demonized" by locals.
The area is now seeing more and more French and Italian visitors too.
Attempts to clean up the resort's image come as Magaluf was branded a lawless party resort after a shocking sex video emerged in June 2014 showing a British tourist performing sex acts on 24 men in a bar.
The 18-year-old at the centre of the viral footage was reportedly duped into performing the sex acts for what she thought was a free break that turned out to be a cocktail named 'Holiday'.
At the time, Spanish politician Jose Ramon Bauza, branded Punta Ballena - Magaluf's strip - as '500 metres of shame'.
Anti-tourist mob attacks holidaymakers with water guns as they vow Spain faces 'long hot summer' of protest carnage
The bar was ordered to close for a year whilst authorities cracked the whip on unruly behaviour.
Fines of up to £50,000 were introduced for holidaymakers caught leaping off their hotel balconies, whilst limits were set on the amount of alcohol served at all-inclusive hotels.
Further restrictions in Spanish party resorts were introduced last year.
In parts of Majorca and Ibiza, tourists can be fined up to £1,300 for drinking on the streets and shops are now only allowed to sell alcohol at certain times.
Britain's then-Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott urged holidaymakers in the Majorcan party resort to 'show responsibility' and remember they were "guests" in Spain.
This Sunday anti-tourism protestors will stage another demonstration in the Majorcan capital Palma.
The demo has been organised by activist organisation Menys Turisme, Mes Vida, with 60 groups already pledging to take part.
Protestors from other cities including Barcelona and San Sebastian will also take to a streets as part of co-ordinated events.
A Menys Turisme, Mes Vida spokesman said last week: 'We will demonstrate for the right to a decent life and to demand the brakes are put on the touristification of this island.'
Anti-tourist sentiment is on the rise across the world - not just in Europe.
In Indonesia, Bali has announced a raft of rules including a swearing ban - enforced by a police force dedicated to cracking down on troublemakers.
The new guidelines advise that foreign tourists 'should observe and honour Balinese customs, traditions, and cultural practices, especially during ceremonies.'
They note tourists should also 'dress appropriately when visiting temples, tourist attractions, or public spaces.'
Bali has further imposed a tourist tax of 150,000 IDR (under £8).
Thailand is similarly introducing a 300-baht (under £7) tourism tax, which will come into force as of May 1.
In Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, tourists are restricted to marked trails and must visit protected areas with a certified guide to help preserve this natural treasure.
Since August 2024, tourists at the Galapagos must pay an increased entry tax of $200 (£155).
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