Anti-tourist sentiment isn’t a new phenomenon; in 2017, "refugees welcome, tourists go home!" graffiti appeared in Barcelona and was seen in several other major destinations.
Angry locals have protested tourism in their towns and cities by targeting tourist transport – even going around squirting coffee-drinking visitors with water pistols.
The post-pandemic rebound has resurfaced many of these issues, bringing with it a new wave of activist anti-tourist sentiment, which in turn risks harming guests’ experiences.
