PAIN IN SPAIN
Tourists to be fined hundreds for buying sunglasses, sarongs and other souvenirs in Spanish hotspots
And the other new rules that could see you fined thousands on your summer holiday
BRITS trying to bring home cheap souvenirs from Spain this summer could be fined as much as £170.
Local cops are trying to crack down on illegal and unlicensed vendors in popular holiday destinations.
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They have brought in the new rules to try and prevent people from buying from them.
Plain-clothed officers are set to be out and about on the streets of Costa Blanca throughout the holiday season.
They will be handing out fines to anyone caught buying goods from the street sellers.
The vendors are known locally as "manteros" and will usually sell products, often cheap fakes, from the top of a blanket.
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They include sunglasses, sarongs, handbags and other souvenirs, all flogged at suspiciously cheap prices.
Their customers could be hit with a maximum fine of €200 (£170) as a means to dissuade people from using them.
The news has gone down well with officials in Spain, including the Mayor of Torrevieja, who has even requested more police officers to make sure the rules are properly enforced.
It has also led to officials from the nearby Costa del Sol to demand similar fines for anyone caught buying from "looky looky men" who are well-known for selling cheap merch to tourists in the summer.
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reports that local shop owners lose between 20 and 30 per cent of their profits to these unlicensed sellers.
This means that Brits heading to Spain this summer should steer well clear of the street vendors and instead stick to proper souvenir shops.
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It's one of a number of strict rules being introduced for tourists in Spain this summer, with the country keen to reduce visitor numbers, amid a spike in overseas travellers.
One such rule will see both Mallorca and Ibiza prohibit drinking alcohol on the streets at night.
This includes a total ban of the sale of alcohol between 9.30pm and 8am in shops in areas of excessive tourism.
It is hoped that this will stop tourists from being able to drink booze in the streets late at night, confining them to bars and clubs.
Fines for breaking the new rules
AUTHORITIES in Majorca are cracking down on tourists by imposing fresh bans on drinking on the streets and graffiti.
Any tourist breaching the new rules could be slapped with a fine of £1,300.
The penalty can be increased up to £2,600, in case the grounds of the offence are more serious.
Fines for graffiti, vandalism and loud slogans have also been increased to £2,600.
If minors are found to commit graffiti vandalism, their parents will be held responsible - and will be forced to pay the fine amount.
Flooding the streets with banners, posters and advertising brochures is now prohibited,
Destroying listed buildings, monuments, and other important public areas would be considered a serious offence - and could attract fines up to £2,600.
The measure will apply to areas most affected by rising tourists numbers, like Llucmajor, Palma, Calvia (Magaluf) and Sant Antoni in Ibiza.
It will be in place at least until December 31, 2027.
Other rules that have been introduced include a ban on organising drinking parties in communal spaces, as well as graffiti, riding scooters and displaying nudity.
Jaime Martínez, mayor of Mallorca's capital, Palma, said that these laws will help them "correct uncivil attitudes" that are often displayed by tourists in the city.
Fines for breaking those rules could be as much as £2,600.
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Meanwhile, Brits could also be tracked on their phones as some destinations try and limit the amount of people visiting their beaches.
And this popular hotspot has closed off streets to stop tourists taking photos.
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