Benidorm, a renowned tourist resort on Spain’s eastern Mediterranean coast, is implementing measures against shops displaying items considered lewd or offensive. Local authorities are concerned that such items may negatively impact the area’s image and disturb visitors. The targeted items often include humorous t-shirts and souvenirs featuring sexual messages and are primarily found in the central area known as the “Guiri zone,” which caters to foreign tourists.
The products are usually marketed in English, reflecting the significant number of British visitors, which totaled over 830,000 last year out of nearly three million tourists that visited Benidorm. Javier Jordá, the city’s head of commerce, emphasized that the initiative aims to protect minors and vulnerable populations from potentially offensive public displays. He noted that some commercial activities may violate local laws that prohibit shop windows from exhibiting products that could offend moral sensitivities, with “sexy articles” specified as an example.
Authorities are initially reminding shop owners of existing regulations and requesting the removal of any items deemed inappropriate from their storefronts. If compliance is not achieved, measures could include fines up to €3,000 (£2,614). Although Jordá expressed a preference for avoiding sanctions, he stated the importance of adhering to regulations to maintain a respectful image of the city.
Spain’s tourism sector has recorded a historic high, with 94 million foreign visitors last year, predominantly from the UK, France, and Germany. Popular destinations include coastal resorts like Benidorm, as well as the Canary and Balearic Islands. However, the country is shifting focus away from the traditional sun-and-sand tourism model in response to growing concerns regarding over-tourism and its associated challenges.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgkn6yxnvpno?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss