“Are you travelling to Mallorca ? Then don’t miss this beautiful village that should be on your must visit list – we’re talking about Valdemossa,” says a TikTok influencer in a video documenting her day on the Spanish island. “You’re gorgeous, you’re literally gorgeous,” says another TikToker, as he pans the camera around a scenic viewpoint in nearby Deia, in a separate video with nearly 800,000 views. But it is smaller villages and beaches like these that are suffering some of the worst effects of a post-pandemic tourist boom that has sparked protests in a host of Mediterranean destinations popular with British visitors.
Anti-tourist messages have been scrawled on the entrances to these rural villages. “You won’t see them protesting in Alcudia, Cala Millor, Cala D’or or Magaluf as they are much larger and have the space to cope,” wrote a British businesssman living in Mallorca this week. While the anti-tourism backlash has also led to mass demonstrations this summer in large cities such as Barcelona – where visitors were last month squirted with water pistols – smaller towns have fewer resources to cope.
Travel bloggers on social media seeking out Europe’s “best kept secrets” to share with thousands of followers have helped turn many “hidden gems” with little infrastructure into overcrowded holiday destinations for hordes of travellers . 📍Valldemossa, Mallorca If you’re planning to visit (or dreaming about) Mallorca, make sure to .