Spain has delivered another blow to British holidaymakers by blocking cheap data roaming in Europe as part of this week’s Brexit reset talks with the European Union.
Millions of Brit tourists visit Spain and Italy every year significantly boosting the countries’ economies.
But the southern European nations have thwarted a call by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to scrap roaming charges for Brit holidaymakers.
The move comes as Britain and the EU sealed a ‘Brexit reset’ deal on Monday aimed at bringing down food prices and reviving exports.
After the EU ditched roaming charges for European tourists in 2016, the UK government had estimated British travellers would save £1.4 billion a year.
But since Brexit, most British providers now charge their customers extra for roaming bundles so that they can use mobile data while travelling abroad.
The rejection on roaming charges for UK tourists comes as Spain braces for a summer of even bigger anti-tourism protests, after the country was rocked by massive demonstrations last year.
Anti-tourism campaigners have long been contesting the current tourism model, claiming that many locals have been priced out by holidaymakers, expats and foreign buyers.
Cheap data roaming for British tourists has been blocked by the European Union
The move by Spain and Italy comes as Britain and the EU sealed a ‘Brexit reset’ deal on Monday
Last year, Spain saw a record-breaking number of tourists, with over 15 million visitors flocking to the island of Mallorca alone.
In response, protestors took to the streets across Spain, leaving countless visitors fuming after paying hundreds of pounds to enjoy their holidays abroad.
Actions included marches on the street with protesters chanting ‘tourists go home’, as well as demonstrations on beaches which saw locals boo and jeer at sun-soaked tourists.
In one particular instance, up to 50,000 locals descended onto the streets of the Mallorca capital Palma.
Meanwhile in Barcelona, some 2,800 people marched along a waterfront district of Barcelona to demand a new economic model that would reduce the millions of tourists that visit every year.
Protesters carried signs reading ‘Barcelona is not for sale,’ and, ‘Tourists go home,’ before some used water guns on tourists eating outdoors at restaurants in popular tourist hotspots.
Last month, anti-tourism campaigners issued a chilling warning to British holidaymakers after they threatened to unleash more chaos.
Over the weekend, thousands of fed-up locals kicked off demonstrations across the Canary Islands.
The rejection on roaming charges for UK tourists comes as Spain braces for a summer of even bigger anti-tourism protests
Spain was rocked by anti-tourism protests last summer, which saw tens of thousands of fed up locals filling streets across the country
Anti-tourism campaigners have long been contesting the current tourism model, claiming that many locals have been priced out by holidaymakers
Last year, Spain saw a record-breaking number of tourists, with over 15 million visitors flocking to the island of Mallorca alone
In response, protestors took to the streets across Spain
Actions included marches on the street with protesters chanting ‘tourists go home’
Holidaymakers were forced to cower in hotels on Sunday as anti-tourist protests stormed the streets of the Canary Islands, disrupting bliss for the thousands of Brits abroad.
Demonstrators marched with the slogan ‘Canarias tiene un limite’ (The Canaries has a limit, while slogan were chanted such as: ‘El dinero del turismo, donde está?’, meaning ‘The money from tourism, where is it?’
One placard read: ‘Stop excessive tourism… this is our home,’ while another said: ‘My misery is your paradise’.
A banner declared the Canary Islands ‘is no longer a paradise’ thanks to tourism.
Another sign was inscribed with the words: ‘tourists swim in s**t’, referencing the large amount of sewage water that is dumped into the sea – the majority of it, activists say, coming from hotels and tourist accommodations.
Other placards in Spanish said: ‘Don’t sell your homes to guiris!’
Guiri is a Spanish slang word for British and other tourists.
Demonstrators could also be heard shouting ‘Canarias No Se Vende’, meaning ‘The Canary Islands Are Not For Sale,’ while the blew whistles and proudly held Canary Island flags in the sky.
Over the weekend, thousands of fed-up locals kicked off demonstrations across the Canary Islands
Holidaymakers were forced to cower in hotels on Sunday as anti-tourist protests stormed the streets of the Canary Islands
Several activists stage a performance, pouring waste and sewage water on Canary Islands politicians, as thousands of people are protesting against the tourism model and mass tourism in the Canary Islands in Tenefire, Spain on May 18
Last month, locals also took to the streets in Barcelona, Valencia as well as Madrid
Last month, locals also took to the streets in Barcelona, Valencia as well as Madrid.
The PM’s calls for cheaper roaming come after he declared ‘Britain is back on the world stage’ on Monday as he held a joint press conference with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen at a summit in London.
As part of the deal, European fishing boats will be guaranteed access to UK waters on the current terms for 12 years.
Starmer has also signed the UK up to a ‘youth experience’ arrangement giving potentially millions of Europeans rights to live, study and work in the EU.
Sir Keir stressed it would be ‘capped and time limited’, arguing the government’s crackdown on immigration will not be compromised.
In return, the deal would see checks on lorries taking food to the continent lifted permanently – ending the so-called ‘sausage wars’. That is supposed to boost the economy by £9billion by 2040.
