The Tourist Season is Over

Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day with an international observance on September 27.

Monday was World Tourism Day.

We suspect that the date comes from when, in a Good Year (without bombs, disease, civil unrest or a better offer from Turkey), the tourists have filled up the souvenir shops and hotels with credit card transfers, and by now have largely gone home again.

Oddly, we don't have a Residents Day, when the Residents are honoured for spending their money all year long.

Our calculation is that just one resident is worth to Spain the equivalent of one hundred tourists (we buy a house, a car, pay taxes and drink and eat all year long). We also try not to be sick in the neighbour’s garden or stay up until five in the morning singing boisterously (good word, that!).

So, ten thousand of us, no more, would be worth a million tourists, yet take up a lot less space in the village fiesta.

Most of our money comes from outside Spain and, between one thing and another, we take few jobs away from the Spaniards.

The thing is, we don't spend our money in souvenir shops, or in all-inclusive hotels. Which is why the subject of the foreign residents is largely ignored.

So how much effort does Spain spend on attracting full-time residents?

Is there a department, a ministry, a budget?

No.