No words…

Okay I take that back. Plenty of words, beginning with WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?? This is the latest campaign from Sevilla City Office in cahoots with City Council called #PASSIONFORSUMMER… promoting Sevilla as a summer hot spot. And well, it actually is, but not in the way they are presenting it.

Can I tell you? Sevilla is NOT a place you want to be between June and September. It just is not. Back when I first moved here (1993) the no-go period was always July & August. Thanks to climate change this now includes June and the first half of September, when you can expect temps of 40ºC or more. Relentless scorching heat that makes it actually unhealthy to be outdoors for any length of time – last year was brutal. And it’s dangerous. For years visitors on my tapas tours have asked me how I cope with the HEAT here in summer and my answer is… I STAY HOME. Heck, I don’t even offer tours in August.

The problem is that since the massive mass-tourism reboot here (after covid lockdown) things have gone from already very bad to way out of control. The City is boasting that last year saw more tourists visiting Sevilla than ever before (some obscene amount, I can’t remember, 35 million?) and that this year they want even more!!! New hotels are going up at breakneck speed and neighbourhoods continue to be decimated by the ravages of uncontrolled tourist apartments. Local shopkeepers and independent bar & restaurant owners are pushed out to make way for slick corporate-owned spots dressed up to look “authentic” offering a watered-down “tourist friendly” version of Sevilla. You know, because god forbid you should actually feel like you’re in another country.

I just want to point out that this massive influx of tourists is not actually helping us, the people who live here. It mostly helps to fill government coffers, promote foreign investment (most tourist apartments are not owned by locals) and all the employment “thanks to tourism” that you hear about… it’s all low-end jobs, poorly paid, no future. So when you come here and marvel that “everything is so cheap here!” keep in mind that it’s not cheap for us, because we don’t make your salaries.

By all means come and visit, but please be aware of what is happening here. And not just here but everywhere – over tourism has become a serious global threat to cultures and communities. For example, be aware that Andalucía, and other parts of Spain, have been suffering through a three-year drought. Yes, your hotel swimming pool will (probably) still be full and you will be allowed to take as many showers as you like and, no doubt, you’ll keep that AC blasting 24/7. But this puts huge stress not only on our limited water supply but also our infrastructure. We are well used to never wasting a drop of water but some neighbourhoods here have already been suffering power cuts. Please know this.

And yes, I know that I work with tourists on my tapas tours, but again, over tourism has not meant more work for me. My small group tours have always been in demand and the main issue I have with the plethora of new food tour companies is that they shove groups of 10 or more into *my* small intimate bars and really spoil the vibe. So no, I am not anti-tourism, just anti-mass-out-of-control-overtourism.

I’ll also go as far to say that most residents here aren’t anti-tourism per se… but we are tired of seeing our communities destroyed by corporate greed and government mismanagement. When you are seeing the protests, the demonstrations, when you see TOURISTS GO HOME spray painted on your AirBnB rental… this is not about you, the visitor. But the government is happy to play it that way and create a false Residents vs Tourists divisive issue because it takes the onus off them.

My point is… you are welcome. We love to welcome you and have you enjoy our city, our culture and all that it has to offer. But perhaps in exchange you could also do us a small favour, which is to respect our city and our culture (and I know that most of you do!). There are some ways to help out… for example, you could book independently-run hotels and make sure your holiday apartment is actually legal (those locks hanging off window bars, or anywhere with nobody there to greet you… nope). Sure, it might cost a bit more, but I kind of think we’re worth it, and so is everywhere else you will want to visit. What do you think?