The month of April is over, and the best and biggest free tourist advertising campaign of recent times is behind us. Barcelona has had the trip of Obama and Spielberg to see Springsteen, but Seville has swept away with its Feria.
TikTok (and, to a lesser extent, Instagram) has gone hashtag crazy
Either I am very wrong or the trend was not deliberate. Why are we talking now about the Fair when it is older than walking? I guess that’s just how fashion works, and something isn’t worn until it’s worn. I enjoy the spontaneous phenomena as much as the blockbuster failures made with all the gold in the world. This small loophole in human behavior in capitalism is comforting: not everything can be bought and there is still room for the unpredictable.
In retrospect it is easy to spot some clues. The April Fair has always been rich in influencers, formerly known as celebrities. We are in the midst of a TikTok boom in Spain. Since this party is prepared well in advance, the Sevillians have been heating up the atmosphere for weeks. And when the time comes, the venue is full of young people in dazzling dresses and the dangerous mobile combination in one hand, rebujito in the other.
Una, who was born in Logronyo, has never been to this party or had a special interest in it, but after this month of April she already knows what to do so that her espadrilles are not damaged by the tree. I didn’t fall into this internet black hole all by myself. The comments I’ve read range from “If I get another tiktok from La Feria, I’ll take a plane tonight” and “If another tiktok gets out, I’ll stab myself 84 times”, which are basically the two only sane ways to take one’s life.
In a wild global competition for tourist attention, sometimes the best campaign consists of people being genuinely happy with their stuff, and sharing it.
