Tourism may be the lifeblood of many economies, but the negative impact of ever-rising visitor numbers could soon change how we travel forever. Locals in holiday hot spots across the globe are becoming "increasingly vocal about the kind of tourists they want on their streets and the kind they don't," said Laura Hall at BBC Travel. 

What did the commentators say? 
As international travel has swelled after a post-pandemic slump, so has anger from the residents of popular European locations such as the Balearics, the Canary Islands, Barcelona and Athens. In Mallorca, thousands of people have taken to the streets to demonstrate against what they say are uncontrolled tourist numbers causing a drop in wages, loss of quality of life, noise, and an increase in the price of housing. 

It follows similar protests in the Canary Islands and Barcelona, where rising visitor numbers are "putting pressure on health services, waste management, water supplies and housing at the expense of residents," as well as construction "endangering historic sites, biodiversity and natural resources," said Euronews. 

What next? 
The Balearic authorities have drawn up a "more balanced and sustainable tourism model that also protects the islands' natural environment and the needs of the local population," said Lonely Planet. This includes alcohol restrictions, a ban on new hotels and tourist rentals, and restrictions on visitor numbers to beaches and national parks. 

While these measures are eye-catching, some doubt they will make any noticeable impact, "mainly because tourism is so enormously lucrative," said Sean Thomas at The Spectator. Spain's tourism lobby group Exceltur said vacationers accounted for 71% of real growth in the Spanish economy last year and consumption by nonresidents accounted for nearly a third of Spain's overall 2.5% growth in 2023. 

Controlling visitor numbers could come down to a form of "rationing," said Thomas. Fees for day-trippers and tourism levies have already been introduced in places like Venice and Bali, but many are looking to Bhutan, which has the most expensive tourist tax in the world at $100 (£77) per day. "Travel to more enticing locales will become the province of the wealthy, as it was in the past," he said. So "make the most of free travel while you can."

Vice President Kamala Harris is having a moment. Following President Joe Biden's endorsement of Harris to replace him on the Democratic ticket, her fans have been eager to show where they stand. Enter the coconut tree meme. What began as a viral clip that Republicans enjoyed mocking has since evolved into a symbol of support for Harris in the upcoming election. 

Where did the meme come from?
In May 2023, Harris gave remarks during a ceremony for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. She touched upon ways to support Hispanic students and their communities "because none of us just live in a silo." 

"Everything is in context," Harris said, before sharing an anecdote about her late mother. "She would give us a hard time sometimes, and she would say to us, 'I don't know what's wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?'" Harris said with her signature laugh. "You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you."

Clips of the speech began circulating on social media. Republicans claimed that Harris appeared drunk or high, but in reality the statement was "just odd enough to bend the line between irony and earnestness so that those who latched on to it weren't sure whether they were laughing at Harris or laughing with her," said The Washington Post.

What has the meme come to symbolize?
In the weeks between Biden's heavily panned debate performance and his announcement that he would not seek reelection, the coconut meme reemerged as a symbol for Democrats rallying behind Harris as the party's new nominee. Multiple politicians endorsed her online alongside coconut or palm tree emojis. 

Harris' jovial persona has bolstered the meme's popularity, as she brings an "energy that's in stark contrast to President Biden," NPR said. Her online traction may help give the Democrats "new prominence with young people," Taylor Lorenz said at The Washington Post. The coconut statement is the "kind of motherly advice-meets-therapy-speak the internet is obsessed with," said José Criales-Unzueta at Vogue.