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TOURISM

‘We’re not the Ibiza of the north’: Spain’s Cantabria says no to mass tourism

Thousands of people in the Spanish region of Cantabria have protested against a planned hotel resort being promoted as “the Ibiza of the north”, showcasing northern Spain's fears of the negative consequences of mass tourism.

Published: 21 May 2024 12:47 CEST
'We're not the Ibiza of the north': Spain's Cantabria says no to mass tourism
Protesters hold a banner reading "Cantabria defends itself, let's save Loredo and Langre". Photo: Cantabristas

Between 3,000 and 8,000 protesters marched between the Cantabrian towns of Loredo and Langre on Saturday to voice their opposition to a huge hotel complex planned nearby on the Cantabrian coastline, in Ribamontán al Mar, about 30 kilometres from the capital Santander.

Local authorities argue 3,000 people took part in the demo, while organisers say it was 8,000. 

They carried banners such as “Cantabria defends itself”, “no to the huge resort” and “we don’t want to be the Ibiza of the north”, in reference to the marketing slogan the hotel’s developers have reportedly used to promote it. 

“Cantabrian society has taken sides in the public debate on overtourism, positioning itself against turning Cantabria into ‘the Ibiza of the north’,” protest organisers stated.

Hotel group AB Capital, headquartered in Mallorca, aims to replicate the huge resorts found in the Balearics and Spain’s Mediterranean coast in the cooler (but increasingly warmer) northern Cantabrian coastline.

According to local daily El Diario Montañés they’ve already expressed interest in buying a huge plot of land in Ribamontán al Mar, which is between Loredo and Langre. 

In fact, Ribamontán al Mar’s mayor told the newspaper that at least three other developers are eyeing the same 7450,000 sqm plot with the aim of turning it into a resort, as half of the land is buildable.

There has even been talk of turning it into a huge golf course and resort with 350 rooms.

For local political group Cantabristas, the protest showed that the community has taken “a step forward to defend itself against those who want to destroy” the territory to “fill their pockets”.

“What good is urban speculation and tourist overcrowding if we Cantabrians have problems accessing housing, suffer the consequences of this overcrowding and if tourism only offers precarious employment?” Cantabristas secretary general Paulu Lobete told the crowd.

Cantabristas is planning to organise further protests if the project isn’t called off, and urged other people in the region to take part due to the property price speculation it could cause throughout the territory.

The case of the potential mega-resort in Ribamontán al Mar showcases the concerns many people in Spain’s northern coastal regions – Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country – have when they see the consequences mass tourism has brought to the country’s warmer less rainy coastal areas.

Northern Spain is becoming increasingly popular among national tourists in particular as the extreme heat much of the rest of the country suffers during the summer becomes increasingly unbearable every year, pushing many to the cooler, calmer and greener haven that is el norte.

A rise in tourists has already resulted in a spike in holiday apartments and prices overall in Spain’s northern regions.

The protest in Cantabria is the first clear example of rejection of the mass tourism model in the less developed and populated areas of Spain.

The Canary Islands held mass protests against their tourism model in April, and locals in Málaga, Mallorca and Ibiza have planned demonstrations for similar reasons in May and June.

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TRAIN TRAVEL

The new compensation rules for train delays and cancellations with Spain’s Renfe

Renfe, Spain’s national rail company, has changed the way in which you can get compensation for delays, as well as the amount of refund you are entitled to.

Published: 14 June 2024 09:38 CEST
The new compensation rules for train delays and cancellations with Spain's Renfe

This changes will apply to Ave, Avlo, Alvia, Euromed and Intercity trains on journeys from July 1st.

This decision comes after a meeting of the company’s Board of Directors who wanted to introduce a similar commitment to punctuality as other competing companies such as Ouigo and Iryo.

But this is not necessarily good news, because now customers will only receive compensation when the delay times are greater and the amounts will be less. 

For example, up until now if an AVE train was delayed 30 minutes you would receive a 100 percent refund, now it’s only if the delay exceeds 90 minutes, a whole hour and a half delay.

What are the new refund amounts and how long do the delays have to be?

Here’s a full breakdown of the new amounts:

Until now, 50 percent was refunded for delays of more than 15 minutes and 100 percent if they were more than 30 minutes.

Now the refunds will be 50 percent for delays of more than 60 minutes and 100 percent for those that exceed 90 minutes.

This means for example that if your train is now delayed up to 45 minutes, you won’t receive any compensation from Renfe at all.

How will the new refund system work?

You will still be able to get your refund in cash or on your card, as always, but there are now other options too including greater refund amounts, depending on what you choose. These are:

  • A refund of 200 percent of the amount depending on the delay time via a new points system managed through the Más Renfe card ‘Renfecitos’. 
  • Compensation as a voucher to buy another ticket. In this case, the refund will be 150 percent of the amount for both delays of 60 minutes and those greater than 90 minutes.

If you choose the refund of the amount on your bank card, you can request it at renfe.com or at the station ticket offices and travel agencies.

If you choose the refund voucher, you can only get it online. In this case you have a maximum of three months from the date of travel to request compensation and a maximum of six months from when you have obtained the discount code to purchase the new ticket.

If you choose to be refunded with Renfe Points, you must also do this online. This option is only available for tickets purchased with a credit/debit card or cash. The points will be credited directly to your account and you have a maximum of three months from the date of travel to request compensation and a maximum of three years to use the points.

To claim delays on Avlo trains, you can do this through the automatic compensation system at www.avlorenfe.com or www.renfe.com. Compensation is paid through the same payment method as you used to purchase your ticket. You will have a maximum period of three months from the date of the trip to request it.

For compensation for delays on integrated tickets, you can apply for compensation at points of sale and customer service at the stations.

In 2023 Renfe paid out €42 million to its customers in compensation for delays. An amount that could have risen to almost €70 million if all affected users had requested compensation.

With this change, Renfe seeks to reduce the amount.

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