this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2025
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[–] eestileib@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 22 hours ago

Maybe they lived in the place before the landlords turned the economy over to tourists.

If I lived in Barcelona and got kicked out of my apartment so it could be a peak-season AirBnB and stay 75% vacant the rest of the year I'd be pissed off too.

[–] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

That's because that city's economy didn't start dependent on Tourism.

Tourism was just some kind of "silver bullet" that the local incompetent politicians chose because they were incapable of managing the place properly and make it better.

Further, Tourism isn't exactly an activity that can bring a place to the forefront of Economic and Technological development: almost by definition you have to be behind those who are at the forefront and have cheap enough prices to attract tourists from those other, wealthier places - Tourism it's the ultimate "second" World activity.

I'm from one such city, Lisbon, and it's become a joke of a place, sort of an open air entertainment park on top of an historic city, slowly losing character and with the locals getting priced out of buying a home there which is pushing all other Economic activity out, especially things that rely on younger people (who are the ones most hit by the housing costs) such as Tech.

The country spent tons of money in training people to be Doctors, Engineers, Architects and so on and now the Economy is ever more based on cleaning rooms, making beds and serving drinks - literally half of the students graduating from University leave the country.

Betting on Tourism is betting on Mediocrity.

There really is no better proof of the profound incompetence, mediocrity and provincialism of Portuguese politicians than their bet of almost 20% (and growing) of the country's Economy on Tourism.

That said, it's not the fault of tourists.

[–] starchylemming@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

the advent of airbnb and consorts did far more to the downwards spiral of beautiful places all over the world than the tourists themselves could ever do on their own.

suddenly the tourists don't book the hotels but occupy space meant for regular people . a handful of greedy assholes profits while easily dodging taxes, health or privacy standards and any accountability really.

tourists obviously take the perceived cheapest comfortable accommodation closest to their goal. the large airbnb owners even cosplay as this normal local guy

[–] DJDarren@sopuli.xyz 3 points 23 hours ago

Went up to London a couple of months back to see Pulp. Hit up AirBnB to look for a cute place to stay.

It quickly became apparent that the vast majority of places listed on there are owned by investment firms, or at the very least, firms that own a large portfolio of AirBnB properties. Ended up staying in a cheap, no frills chain hotel near the O2, because fuck that shit.

If I think too hard about how much companies like AirBnB, Uber, Amazon and such have fucked our local economies, I get really angry. So I tend not to.

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 31 points 1 day ago

The locals who dislike tourists are most likely not the same locals who profit from tourism. Wealth is too concentrated, that's also true for e.g. big hotels or shops in the picturesque old town. If every second or third resident had a room rented out to a tourist that'd likely be a different story. But same as always, some people profit, but all the people suffer the increased traffic, noise, waste, rent etc.

[–] greedytacothief@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 day ago (4 children)

I don't really care about tourists hanging out in the tourist areas. But could they just drive the speed limit. I get that it's beautiful, pull over and take some pictures you've got 3 cars behind you. They could also make sure their tires aren't bald when they drive up in the winter, yes good tires are a must around here. Also if they wouldn't litter out in nature that would be great too. Or if they would start hikes early in the morning instead of it getting dark out and calling 9-11 for a rescue because they're lost now. Or just learn how to use caltopo, it makes orienteering trivial.

P.S. if you have to shit, walk off the trail somewhere out of sight. No one wants to step on that.

[–] Bluewing@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

Living in a forest and lakes area that attracts tourists year round now, it's the damage they cause to the surrounding forest and even private property that makes us locals dislike them.

[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

and dig a hole for it if you can, don't just leave it in the open, at least cover it in something

Yes, those are the rules. But I'd be happy with them if they would at least not poop on the trail. Baby steps

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 2 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

P.S. if you have to shit, walk off the trail somewhere out of sight. No one wants to step on that.

I was taught to put my garbage in my pocket until I can throw it in ghe trash, so I just shit my pants until I can find a toilet.

[–] greedytacothief@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Leave no trace rules say you should poop into a bag and carry it out. But I have a little rhyme for you.

"When I shit my pants

I feed the plants

Cause I have no pants at all"

[–] RalphFurley@lemmy.world 2 points 23 hours ago

Sitting in Cape Cod right now, lol

[–] Goldholz@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Had 3 or so americans in the train. The kids screaming and even came up to my ear to yell in it! They didnt have their kids under control.

Or american "woo!"-girls in the inner city talking so loudly you could hear them 2 streets down about how "its so primitive here.", we "should have a parking spot for them in the center." So they "dont need to walk so much".

There are lots of respectful people tourists. But i have yet to meet a respectful tourist from USA

[–] Soulg@ani.social 2 points 21 hours ago

Yes you have, you just didn't know they were American or you forgot about them because they weren't memorable.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Your so cute, apparently you have never met well off Chinese tourists.

[–] Goldholz@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 day ago

I have seen what they do online but not encountered them yet, you are right

[–] pedz@lemmy.ca 40 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (13 children)

Comments in this thread are weirdly one sided. I get the airbnb shit, mass tourism, and all that, but to me it's more a symptom of late stage capitalism.

At which point do you stop becoming a tourist yourself? Has nobody ever been to another city or region? Are you not sometimes a tourist in your own city, region, or country? You always stay home and never go anywhere?

As a Montrealer, am I a nasty tourist for going to Québec City? Should I stick to my own city? Am I a bad tourist for going to another province? Is Vancouver too far or too rich? Is Toronto too far too? Would I be a bad tourist for going to visit and spend a night in Toronto, coming from Montreal? Am I a nasty tourist for going camping in Ontario? Should I stick only to local campings?

Is it only bad when we go to what... 10 km away from our home? 100? 1000? Where is the line? When we need hosting?

I don't really understand the logic of "fuck tourists", unless they just want everyone to stay home and never go anywhere.

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Personally, even when I am a tourist, I hate tourist shit. Almost always overpriced, overcrowded, often polished turd quality at premium prices. Go from store to store and it's the same mass produced shit with branding themed for whatever local attractions that place has. Staffed with kids who don't really give a fuck because they are the cheapest available (not that I blame the kids for not giving a fuck, I know I wouldn't in their place).

My last vacation was to visit a friend and that was nice. Instead of doing any touristy shit, we mostly hung out at his place and checked out places he liked to go to, which was a way better experience IMO than something curated by people whose main focus is getting as much money as possible from you.

[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 7 hours ago

there's things that are designed for visitors, and then there's things that are designed for "vacationers" who spend way too much fucking money to just sit around not actually enjoying things for some god forsaken reason.

the former is great, make things enjoyable regardless of where you're from or how long you're staying.

[–] lietuva@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (3 children)

People are pissed that they can't afford rent, where housing is inflated by massive profits of short-term renting. You see more tourists than before, you just want them gone that's all

[–] SonOfAntenora@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

More than the inevitable rent-pricing, a lot of people just misbehave, tourists or not. Like most tourists are of course fine, but when you deal with the millions there must be some bad guy in there. I bet most of us don't even notice tourists unless they're of the loud variety.

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[–] skisnow@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's almost as if the meme presents an oversimplified view, and you've run with that oversimplification.

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[–] FenderStratocaster@lemmy.world 97 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I hate my customers too. I get it.

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[–] idntknow@lemmy.world 56 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Can't say I blame them. Tourists can be obnoxious, especially in swarms.

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[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 30 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Daily experience in Hawaii. Litterally had a neighbor whose entire ability to survive is based on his wife's business doing wedding photography complaining about "immigrants and tourists"..

Like bruh. You are a kept man and a poorly performing house husband. Maybe just have the grace to accept things as they are?

This is why the Airbnb ban comes up super controversial too. From an unanalyzed/ outside perspective, the narrative "we need homes for locals" makes sense. Then you find out the entire campaign was pushed entirely by the hotel industry lobby in Waikiki (the counsel member who pushed the ban her husband was litterally on the payroll of the hotel lobby). Then the ban went into effect and it killed thousands of small, pop up businesses that had been cleaning, landscaping, maintaining the rentals. And it didn't do one iota of good in terms of reducing or stabilizing rent; if anything, it made things worse. The airbnb' almost all went down one of three tracks: either the owner kept it going illegally (the highest end with wealthiest owners), the owner stopped renting and has left it vacant, or the owner remodeled or sold to a flipper, in which case the house resold for a price quite litterally no locals can afford in rent.

What people don't want to hear about Airbnb bans is that that they significantly hit the non-corporate, local economies far, far harder. It moved tourists out of local neighborhoods and back into Waikiki, meaning that the dollars those tourists might spend on breakfast, grocery, something on the side of the road in some community outside of Honolulu. It further consolidated power into the very already very small number of hands who own all the hotels in Waikiki, while it did basically nothing to stabilize rents.

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[–] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 41 points 2 days ago (5 children)

I always hated the whole “local economy good” schtick. Not everyone in that city personally benefits from the things the local economy is supposed to be dependent on, and to expect them to be stoked when, say, oil is doing good, or lots of tourists are coming around, but only bad things happen to you as a result of it while rich people around you become richer and the wealth gap increases is just irritating.

Also when I worked in a tourist town doing construction there like 9/10 of the tourists were rich, fat, rude Americans that just made a mess of the beautiful town I was in and were super ignorant to everyone around them. I was so glad to be finished that project man.

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[–] bobo1900@startrek.website 52 points 2 days ago (3 children)

It's not "a" tourist, it's "a milion" tourists they don't tolerate

[–] UnrefinedChihuahua@lemmy.dbzer0.com 45 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

And the messes they leave. If they could pick up after themselves and not treat our service staff like shit, that'd be great.

Edit: spelling

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[–] Asidonhopo@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago (7 children)

In my experience economies based around tourism have much greater inequality, with a few wealthy landowners/business owners raking it in, scumbag tourists throwing their weight around and any non wealthy locals forced into low wage service work and treated like shit in a high cost of living environment. Fuck tourism and fuck tourists.

[–] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 18 points 2 days ago (6 children)

As usual, seems he underlying problem is capitalism, not people wanting to visit nice places.

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[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Traditional fishing village, no fishermen can afford to live there anymore because of tourists, air B&Bs and holiday homes pushing the price of houses up.

[–] DJDarren@sopuli.xyz 2 points 23 hours ago

Ever seen Bait? It's about that exact scenario.

[–] Nikls94@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

People usually talk to me in their native language. No matter Spain, Greece, Sweden, Britain, Italy, Serbia, Croatia, Germany… I just don’t behave like the typical tourist lol

Well I did get talked to in English while in Thailand… must’ve been my nose

[–] Asafum@feddit.nl 33 points 2 days ago

While not a city, tourists have ruined the town I work in... It used to be a working town and the surrounding area was where people actually lived. Then the area got popular for rich people to come walk around in the summer... They bought all the housing for their vacation homes/air b&b and the bought up local businesses, turning them into seasonal shops...

Locusts...

[–] bigbabybilly@lemmy.world 19 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Lived in Banff for 18 years. Some days those tourists are just the fucking worst; feeding animals, littering, having fires anywhere they want. I got real possessive of my home. But the many are decent, outdoor lovers who don’t suck.

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[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

As always it's the amount that makes something healthy or lethal, Tourism is fine, Over-Tourism is not. And while on normal levels of tourism, many people profit, over-tourism brings money to a few big places, and leaves the rest suffering the consequences like unaffordable rents.

[–] Sc00ter@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 day ago

St Lucia seemed generally excited for their tourism. There's a million all inclusive resorts, but youre encouraged to walk the island, visit the locals, shop anywhere. Every single person i met was pleasant and generally excited to speak with me. I never felt unsafe like they warn about at other tourism destinations

Honestly tho, it felt weird.

[–] lugal@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 2 days ago

It's not that we live in a direct democracy where the people have a say in the decision to turn the city into a tourism place. More often than not people are born there or moved there long before tourism was so big

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

who's economy

I don't know. Who IS economy?

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A few years ago I was hanging out with an elderly friend of mine and group of tourists walked by and one of threw threw some flowers at my friend's face and called him 'f*g' and just walked away with his friends. Nothing I or anyone could do about it besides just watch and feel humiliated. Another time I was smoking a joint outside (as long as you don't do it near as school or some shit the cops don't care because there is typically a DV going on just around the corner and a needle in every fourth arm in my city) and this dude who probably was a cop back home (he just had that look in his eyes) out of the fucking blue started staring me down. Or tried to because by the time I realized what he was doing his friends where already pulling him away and he was just staring at me with such anger like I had just called him gay or something.

At least where I live there is enough cross over of touristy areas and the really bad areas that I get to watch tourists be made uncomfortable when something happens like a homeless woman squats on the sidewalk and takes a piss waving an empty plastic bag in one hand and screaming.

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