A Polish tourist visiting the popular holiday destination in Britain faced a wave of menacing messages and death threats from residents in Spain after expressing admiration for the city and its beach. Kyzo, a programmer from Poland, arrived in the coastal city of Valencia towards the end of November in preparation for a marathon scheduled for December 7. Having recently traveled in San Francisco, California, Kyzo innocently shared a tweet upon his arrival, highlighting the beauty of the beach in Spain and the affordability compared to San Francisco.
However, Kyzo quickly found himself inundated with abusive messages, including death threats, from outraged locals who accused him of negatively impacting the local economy and demanded his departure from the country. Some messages even contained violent threats towards Kyzo, with one individual suggesting harm to him if recognized on the streets.
Initially disregarding the messages, Kyzo eventually became more unsettled by the escalating tone and felt increasingly cautious about his surroundings. In response to the backlash, Kyzo clarified his intentions, emphasizing that his comparison of prices was merely factual and not intended as criticism towards Spain.
Tensions between tourists and Spanish locals have been escalating in recent times, with holidaymakers and digital nomads often blamed for driving up rental costs and displacing locals in popular cities. Kyzo acknowledged the frustrations expressed by the locals but highlighted that targeting individuals online does not address the underlying issues of housing, wages, and tourism pressures, and instead, he became a scapegoat for broader concerns.
The strained relationship between tourists and locals is not limited to social media, as anti-tourist graffiti can be found throughout Valencia, with messages discouraging tourism and promoting dangerous activities like “balconing.” Several incidents have occurred, including clashes between protesters and tourists, underscoring the growing tension in the city.
The city’s tourism board was contacted for a response but has not yet provided a statement on the situation.