Underdressed: British tourists in Spain chastised for baring too much flesh

British tourists have been criticised for bearing too much flesh on Spanish streets.

A new campaign by Malaga City Council has seen the local government targeting British tourists who walk the streets and towns in their beachwear. Signs requesting that the holidaymakers `Dress completely´ have been posted throughout the region, with an image of two people fully clothed beneath the caption on the poster. The caption reads: “Both on the street and in public places, always wear an upper garment for respect and hygiene.”

Laws on exposing too much flesh and entering public spaces topless

Anti-tourism pages such as `Guiri´s go home´ (`guiri´ being a derogatory Spanish term referring to unruly tourists), share photos of tourists without their consent, and complain that despite a law requiring that people do not walk around topless, the legislation has gone too long without being enforced.

This legislation, which was originally initiated in 2019, was finally approved in September last year and now means that anyone abusing this law by walking around topless can be fined up to 750 euros. Article 36 of the law also makes it an offence to entre public spaces naked or scantily clad (ie. wearing only underwear), and article 38 stipulates that anybody who ignores police warnings and restrictions can also be the recipient of a fine of up to 750 euros.

Governments crack down on unpleasant and inappropriate behaviour from scantily clad British tourists

The law is proposed particularly with the aim of targeting groups of tourists on stag and hen dos, and also bans the carrying or wearing of anything representing sex or human genitalia. The council in Seville has introduced similar policies, prohibiting revelling holidaymakers from wearing clothes with sexist or xenophobic slogans or images, and also banning people from appearing in public wearing just underwear.

The act of wandering around or entering a public space topless has long been an offence in Marbella and other regions across Spain, but is rarely enforced, with restaurant and bar owners, for example, concerned that they may receive abuse and lose customers as a result, if they mention it. In a climate that has seen many bar and restaurant owners struggling to make a living, it´s not a risk many are comfortable to take, even when they want to.