Help! The tourist are coming!

Locals often grumble about tourist, but Berlin saw an actual protest, by Stephen Evans, Berlin correspondent for the BBC, lives in Prenzlauer Berg, a yppifiying part of the old East Berlin.

In a disused theme park in Halensee, locals met and moaned. ‘If tourism is Berlin’s biggest growth industry,’ pouted their literature, ‘where will those who provide the fun for the guests relax?’

Community meetings in Kreuzberg-a working class area to the west with a large Turkish population, favoured by visitors on weekend breaks-flew banners readin, “Help! The tourist are coming!” One alternative magazine urged its readers to ‘steal their mobile phones and wallets as you walk by their café tables, burn their cars, smash their hotel windows, drop rubbish, throw stuff at tourist buses’.

The grievances are varied: tourists rattle their wheelie cases over the cobblestones early in the morning, and change the nature of clubs by taking pictures on mobile phones.

The resentment springs from an enduring counter-culture. During the Cold War, West Berlin attracted dissidents because the government exempted citizens from military service. It duly became a pressure cooker of politics. The fall of the Wall meant two very different cultures-and sets of incomes-were thrown together. In the old East, there is resentment as yuppies move in.

And there’s likely to be more to moan about. Berlin had over nine million visitors in 2010, a 10 percent increase on the previous year. But the city needs them. The destruction and division of Berlin left it with virtually no industry. Companies like Siemens relocated to Bavaria. Berlin needs the money-your money.

City bloggers nominate tourist’ most annoying habits.

LONDON ‘Trying to touch in on London’s oyster system using a paper ticket.’ Matt Brown, Londonist.com

BARCELONA ‘Tourists on (pedestrian mall) Las Ramblas and the surrounding parts wearing only what they had on in the sea,’ David Brydon, barcelonasights.blogspot.com

COPENHAGEN ‘Tourists show up at The little Mermaid statue and are disappointed at how small it is. Given that she’s called The Little Mermaid, this shouldn’t be much of a surprise.’ Timothy Anderson, thecopenhagenreport.blogspot.com

MUMBAI ‘Calling the Gateway of India “India Gate”, which is a different monument, in Delhi. Mumbai already resents Delhi because it gets more government funding .to take our iconic monument and call it by a Delhi name, sacrilege!’ Deepa Krshnan, mumbaimagic.com

MOSCOW ‘Tourists are easily seen because of their smiles. It annoys most Muscovites.’ Olga Borte,see-you-in-moscow.com

ROME ‘They forget it’s a modern city. While looking for the “authentic Roman” experience, tourists accept poor service and bad manners when they should say “basta”  (enough)! Erica Firpa, moscerina.com