From Byron Bay to Bali, tourist hotspots grow wary of Instagram influencers

Influencers with large social media followings but no feel for what local communities want face a backlash from the residents of tourist hotspots

Byron Bay in Australia reacted strongly to the idea of Netflix filming a series there about influencers, much as Bali kicked out an American digital nomad.

Reading Time:3 minutes

Protesters display placards at Byron Bay, Australia, this week in opposition to the filming of a reality television series that some fear will damage the reputation of the tourist town. Photo: Australian Broadcasting Corporation via AP

Published: 7:15pm, 22 Apr 2021Updated: 7:15pm, 22 Apr 2021

Residents of Australia’s Byron Bay have hit out at plans for a reality TV show set in the holiday town, highlighting a growing backlash against social media influencers and digital nomads who often exacerbate troubles that dog tourist hotspots.

Netflix series Byron Baes will be a “love letter to Byron Bay” which is already a “magnet for influencers”, and follow the lives of Instagramers, the streaming service said.

But the backlash was swift, with an online petition by resident Tess Hall to boycott the series attracting more than 8,500 signatures, and dozens of locals protesting by paddling out on surfboards at Byron Bay on Tuesday.

“We are a community experiencing significant challenges driven by influencer culture and rapidly shifting demographics of residents. We do not want to be cast as the perfect backdrop and magnet for social media influencers,” Hall said.

People sit on the grass beside main beach in Byron Bay, Australia. The town receives 2.5 million visitors a year. Photo: Getty Images

Rather than use the region as a “reality show punchline”, authorities should be focusing on addressing systemic issues such as housing affordability, coastal erosion, increasing unemployment and high levels of domestic violence, she said.