IT’S midnight and Boozers Fest Bar is packed to the rafters with a host of 18 to twentysomethings, all jostling to play a wild new drinking game.
This Dutch-run party bar charges £17.50 to take part in “Snappy”, where ten shots are placed around a crocodile toy for punters to down if its mouth shuts when they press its teeth.
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As they drink, the crowd whoops and hollers and the room, no doubt, starts to spin.
Kim, 21, falls foul of the snap, and tells me: “It’s like being a kid again, but with an extra hit.
“We love it here — fun and alcohol, what more could you want?”
So far, so typical of a Spanish holiday for British youngsters, many on their first sunshine break without mum and dad cramping their style.
But while this bar is bursting, the same cannot be said for other venues in the Spanish resort town of Lloret de Mar.
With 100-plus bars and clubs, it was once branded the country’s “party capital” but now many of the venues sit partially empty or closed — an unwelcome result of the nationwide anti-tourist protests that have driven customers away.
As a result, the pub owners and party organisers here are pleading with high-spending Brits to return.
Currently, the town is besieged by Dutch and German tours of under age teens, who barely spend any money and demand that prices stay low or they won’t come.
Drinks prices on this section of the Costa Brava haven’t risen since 2018, so shots are on offer for one euro (87p) and cocktails for eight euros (£7).
Locals are now yearning for its early-Noughties heyday when it was a Club 18-30 destination for Brits.
Local shop owner Mohan, 45, told The Sun: “Without tourists there would be nothing here in Lloret de Mar.
“We love English tourists here because they spend the most.
“Yes, some get a bit drunk and loud, but that’s not the end of the world.
“The protests in Barcelona have put people off coming here. It’s July, and it’s not as busy as it should be.
“We want tourists to know they are welcome. I’ve lived in Lloret since 1999 and everyone here wants more Brits — more tourists, not less.”
Without tourists there would be nothing here in Lloret de Mar. We love English tourists here because they spend the most
Mohan, Local shop owner
Last year 18.4million of us headed to Spain, contributing £20billion to the country’s economy, according to the Spanish Ministry of Tourism.
But over-tourism has been blamed for inflating Spain’s housing crisis, with protesters in Barcelona, the Balearics and Canary Islands holding signs saying “Tourists go home” and “Foreigners not welcome”.
Lloret is not immune to the housing concerns of places such as Ibiza and Tenerife, but instead of blaming the tourists they have targeted their anger at the government.
Officials have responded by cracking down on unlicensed accommodation, which last week saw cops raid 23 illegal tourist flats and slap the owners with fines of up to £20,000.
Restaurant Pinocchio owner Claudio La Face, 37, explained: “Unlicensed holiday flats are a problem because people are concerned about renting to locals as if there is a problem, such as not paying rent, there is little they can do.
“On top of that, many prefer to rent to tourists because they can make a lot of money, despite the risk of big fines.”
‘Better than Benidorm’
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Italian Claudio, who has lived in Lloret for 12 years, said he struggles to understand the anti- tourist protests happening in other parts of Spain.
“It has affected our numbers here, especially this year,” he said. “But we need tourists in Lloret, we love them. Most of Spain needs tourists too, so protesting against them doesn’t help anyone.
“Tourists should come to Lloret for the good weather, the beautiful beaches, and amazing food options. Plus there are lots of cultural places around here to visit, such as Girona.”
One of the biggest draws to the town is its party district, home to one of the world’s best clubs, Tropics.
The main strip, Avenue Just Marles Vilarrodona, is full of venues that can hold thousands of revellers, and the winding side streets boast a seemingly unending array of cocktail bars offering outrageous drinking games.
Don’t Let The Duck Out sees players put on a swim cap and snorkelling goggles to try to grab a bottle of alcohol from a large water bowl. Essentially it’s boozy apple bobbing.
British teens Lucy and Gemma, both 18, are loving the nightlife in Lloret. Lucy said: “My sister recommended it, and it’s crazy here. We have no regrets booking it. It’s fun.”
Other Brits out on the lash include Dan Clark and Ollie Bott, both 20, from Stoke, who booked the resort after spotting it on the Jet2 website.
For a random find, we’ve got no regrets. We’re on night one, and it’s already shaping up to be better than Zante. A lot of bars are giving us drinks for half price because we’re British, which is cool
Ollie Bott
They’ve flown out with six mates, who they have managed to lose by the time they bump into The Sun.
Ollie said: “For a random find, we’ve got no regrets. We’re on night one, and it’s already shaping up to be better than Zante. A lot of bars are giving us drinks for half price because we’re British, which is cool.”
Newlyweds Rachel, 37, and Phillip, 41, from Leeds, are here for their honeymoon.
“It wasn’t quite what we expected for our honeymoon, but we love how lively it is,” courier Phillip said.
“I’d certainly come back here with the lads, or let my sons have their first drinking holiday here as it feels really safe. There’s nice food and the booze is cheap.
“Plus everyone here has been really friendly compared to other holidays we’ve been on.”
Couple Paul Willmot and Janette Machin, both 57, from Bridlington, Yorks, reckon it could even start to rival Brit favourite Benidorm.
Janette said: “It’s been really great so far. It has potential and reminds me of Beni and Sunny Beach before they got super-popular. We didn’t let the protests in other parts of Spain put us off, and no one else should either.”
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Standing in doorways and draped over pavements are revellers debating which bar to move to next. Some are being shepherded by tour operators.
‘A little rowdy’
Back on the main street are Disco Londoner and Touch Down Sports bar, both owned by Marcus Faraji. He told The Sun: “Ninety per cent of the industry here is based around tourism, even if it’s not directly.
“More needs to be done to educate locals that their livelihoods and comforts come from tourists being welcome here. This is getting lost because many people are so worried about the housing issues.
“The drinking tourism we get upsets some, and they complain that people don’t come here to visit cultural places, but the truth is we don’t have the infrastructure for that.
“Many of the tourists that come here are in groups organised by tour operators, who take up bulk bookings at hotels.
English people are my favourite tourists because they spend so much. They can be a bit difficult, like fighting each other, but they come with a budget to spend and will spend it all
Igor Peyman
“It means we have to keep drinks cheap, because if we raise our prices they threaten to not come.
“But some of the people they bring are as young as 16, so we won’t serve them anyway, and they don’t have a lot of money to spend, which harms the economy.
“English people don’t travel in the same way. We would like more of them because they spend a huge amount on both restaurants and on alcohol.”
Bars caught serving booze to someone under age risk a fine of £2,600 for each case — and the drinker can be handed a £850 fine. Local businessman Igor Peyman, 54, is also keen to see more British holidaymakers pitch up in Lloret.
He said: “English people are my favourite tourists because they spend so much.
“They can be a bit difficult, like fighting each other, but they come with a budget to spend and will spend it all. There is so much for people to enjoy here so we hope they aren’t put off by the protests in other parts of Spain.”
‘Spanish Blackpool’
But not everyone is a fan of Lloret. Holidaymaker Amanda, from Stratford-upon-Avon, West Mids, reckons it’s essentially “Blackpool in Spain”.
She added: “You do have to look for the nicer places to go as the centre is very young and aimed at a younger crowd.”
Her pal Michele agreed, but added: “Everyone has been really friendly, and you don’t get hassled to go to restaurants or shops. Parts of the town are quite dated and need investment.”
We want people who won’t pee or poo in the street. We have plenty of public restrooms and bars where people can use the toilets
Tattoo shop worker Jose
Tattoo shop worker Jose, 30, is keen for Lloret to only welcome tourists who will be respectful.
He said: “We want people who won’t pee or poo in the street. We have plenty of public restrooms and bars where people can use the toilets.
“Tourists who want to have fun but appreciate we live here are always welcome, even if they’re a little rowdy.
“Lloret is a poor town, and most of us have to earn our living for the year in the space of six weeks.
“We love tourists and we always want them to come here.”
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What is overtourism?
Overtourism is where a destination experiences a volume of tourists that exceeds its manageable capacity.
The term is often used to describe the negative consequences of mass tourism, which includes overcrowding and environmental issues.
As a result, popular destinations have become less enjoyable for both visitors and locals.
Local communities, in particular, bear the brunt, facing rising costs and a depletion of resources.
In response, national and local governments have started to implement measures to reduce overtourism.
These include:
- Safeguarding historical and heritage sites
- Promoting off-peak travel
- Tourism caps and regulations
- Promoting lesser-known destinations