The Spanish city of Malaga is taking a firm stance on unruly behaviour from tourists this summer by issuing a 10-point guidance plan that encourages appropriate dress, the respecting of local customs and keeping the noise down after hours.
The Costa del Sol destination, known for its links to Picasso, beautiful old town and sweeping beaches, has put its Improve your Stay campaign front and centre across the city.
The straight-talking ads are aimed at curbing behaviour that has angered locals in recent years, especially during the peak tourist season.
Signage across the city spells out expectations, with posters – on buses and billboards, written in English and directly addressing antics often attributed to British holidaymakers.
There’s also a social media campaign reminding tourists they must follow municipal bylaws or face fines of up to €750 (£655) for violations.
In Malaga’s city centre, residents have objected to foreigners walking around the city wearing only bikinis or shorts.
One of the Improve your Stay city hall signs reads: ‘Dress completely. Both on the street and in public places always wear an upper garment out of respect and hygiene.’
Billboard posters ask visitors to wear full clothes while in town – demanding they ‘dress properly’, ‘dress appropriately’ and ‘dress completely’.
Introduced last year, Improve your Stay rules in Malaga will see tourists misbehaving issued with fines of up to €750 (£655) for violations
One of the new city hall signs reads: ‘Dress completely. Both on the street and in public places always wear an upper garment out of respect and hygiene.’
The campaign, promoted by Malaga’s tourism department, highlights four major issues: inappropriate attire, littering, excessive noise, and reckless e-scooter use.
Another sign focuses on noise pollution, urging visitors to ‘respect the sleeping hours’ of residents, including the elderly, students, and essential workers.
The sign advises against shouting, singing loudly, or playing music at high volumes in public areas, adding: ‘Don’t be conspicuous.’
Littering is another sore point for locals, with signs asking tourists to ‘Keep the city clean’ by using rubbish bins and taking care of historical monuments, gardens, and public seating.
Meanwhile, scooter riders are reminded that ‘pavements are for pedestrians. If you use scooters or bicycles, do so in the legally authorised areas, in compliance with municipal ordinances.’
The measure is an attempt to combat visitors who ride indiscriminately in cycle lanes, invade pedestrian areas and have been involved in more than one serious incident.
With the summer season now in full swing, overtourism has become a major issue in many European resorts and cities.
Italy’s Dolomites were compared to Disneyland last week by fed-up locals, as the beauty spot became overloaded by swarms of selfie-snapping tourists and so-called influencers.
Images and videos shared on social media shared by furious residents showed crowds of holidaymakers clogging up a cable car station in the Seceda area of the Alpine mountain range, which has become increasingly popular thanks to social media.
Brits frequenting bars in the Costa del Sol city are being warned about noise pollution too
Another sign focuses on noise pollution, urging visitors to ‘respect the sleeping hours’ of residents, including the elderly, students, and essential workers
Littering is another sore point for locals, with signs asking tourists to ‘Keep the city clean’
Over in Italy, concerns about overtourism raised its head this week: A TikTok video showed a huge queue of tourists lining up at a viewpoint to take snaps of the breathtaking landscapes
One particular video shows a lengthy queue of visitors at the station over-spilling onto a nearby cafe, while some tourists are seen blocking a staircase as they wait in line.
Another clip showed how a hiking trail came to a standstill as it became overwhelmed by tourists trying to reach the cable car.
The video, which was shared on an Instagram page, was captioned: ‘Something incredible even just to be told.
‘Hours in line waiting for your turn to go up the Seceda to admire the meadows, ridges, the most beautiful mountains of the Alto Adige, being careful not to step on each other’s feet, not to clash, to take the selfie as ‘freely’ possible in the presence of other tourists.’
Such is the surge in visitors that the operator of the cable car that takes hikers up to the summit of the Seceda mountain has put in a request to triple the capacity of the chairlift, Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera reports.
But recent scenes of overcrowding at the UNESCO World Heritage Site has sparked anger among locals and environmentalists who say large crowds could put wildlife at risk.
