Little known offensive word Spanish use to describe British tourists

Spaniards have reportedly coined a term to alert each other of the presence of British holidaymakers.

Many Brits cherish the chance to jet off to various global destinations for a holiday, with Spain often topping the list as an ideal getaway from the UK's gloomy weather. The British are no strangers to the Spanish shores, famously flocking to places like the renowned Benidorm strip.

According to a new index from online holiday provider, , British tourists accounted for 45% of overnight stays in alone in 2024, totalling over 600,000 visitors. Benidorm has also been named the second-best holiday destination for a pub experience, home to, the majority of which stream live sports daily.

But the love affair with Spain may in fact be largely one-sided, according to recent developments. British tourists sometimes find themselves in hot water when travelling to or within Spain, and they're not exactly celebrated for their exemplary behaviour, leading locals to adopt a specific term to refer to Brits who exhibit troublesome characteristics.

Earlier this year, The Sun disclosed that the term in question is "guiri", pronounced "guee-ree". It's understood to originate from the Basque language, meaning "blonde" or "fair-skinned", and refers to the physical traits of many tourists.

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Brits are not automatically labelled as such, but those who engage in poor conduct while on holiday could earn the moniker. Behaviours that might earn someone the "guiri" tag include excessive drinking, loud chanting, and other forms of rowdy conduct.

Being labelled a "guiri" may cause offense to a few travellers, but it's a term used for all tourists according to some. You won't be run out of town for being one, but locals may poke fun at you for doing stereotypical "guiri" behaviours such as sipping sangria all day or only eating pizza, chips, and toasties.

The best way to avoid the "guiri" tag is to immerse yourself in the local culture and making an effort to learn and speak the language. That said, tensions have been rising between Spaniards and British tourists in recent years due to consequences of overtourism.

The mass demonstrations in April 2025 as hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of to spotlight the housing shortage and soaring rental prices that has been exacerbated by .

The clear and defiant message resonated with the Malaga City Council, which subsequently cancelled plans to build 1,300 tourist homes in the city. The new city strategy will veer away from property sales to non-Spaniards, considering a “total ban” altogether.