While tourists in Barcelona might get doused with water pistols, visitors to Calpe on Spain’s Mediterranean coast face a different kind of deterrent, a substantial fine for reserving beach space.
The town council issued a reminder on Wednesday, stating that under the Municipal Ordinance of Use and Management of the Coast, beachgoers are not allowed to set up items like chairs, hammocks, and beach umbrellas before 9 a.m. to ensure that beach clean-up activities are not obstructed.
Violators of this rule could be reported, have their belongings removed, and face fines of €250, approximately $270.
Additionally, the council noted that unattended chairs, hammocks, and umbrellas left for more than three hours during the day might be taken away.
This reminder follows years of complaints about people reserving beach spots, only for others to arrive mid-morning and find the area already claimed but with no one around.
This issue of space-hogging beachgoers is also prevalent in the nearby holiday destination of Benidorm, as reported by the local news site Información.
Recently, there has been a growing backlash against tourists in Spain and its islands.
Last month, Barcelona’s government announced plans to ban tourist apartment rentals by 2028 in response to protests against mass tourism, aiming to reduce soaring housing costs and improve livability for residents.
In May, Ibiza and Mallorca introduced stricter regulations on party boats and public drinking.
In April, residents of the Canary Islands protested against over-tourism, blaming visitors for driving up housing costs and causing environmental harm.
