The American comedian, Dan Mahboubian Rosen, has caused a stir online by declaring that Europe is “not a real country.”

In a TikTok video that’s been viewed over 1.3 million times since it was posted on July 23, Rosen argues that Europeans should be thankful for American tourists. He said: “I’ve seen a lot of news about how local Europeans are mad that tourists are just ruining their cities, and they’re complaining, and they’re squirting the water”.

In Barcelona, locals have shown hostility towards tourists dining al fresco, culminating in diners being doused with water during a protest against mass tourism.

The protesters chanted “Tourists go home,” and held placards reading, “Enough! Let’s limit tourism.” Anti-tourist protests have erupted across many popular tourist destinations in Europe in recent months.

In response to the unrest, Barcelona’s mayor, Jaume Collboni, has pledged to prohibit tourists from renting holiday flats by 2028 to curb rising living costs. However, Rosen finds these measures distasteful and reminds Europeans of their position.

He stated: “You guys just have to accept at this point that you’re our Disney World now. It’s your function in this world.

“You’re a living, breathing ‘It’s a Small World’ ride,” referencing the popular attraction at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park.

Rosen has sparked controversy by accusing European nations of “prostituting” their history to tourists, while failing to make significant architectural advancements or contribute beyond cured meats and manchego cheese.

“You had your fun colonising the world, pillaging and extracting wealth to make your nice little piazzas and palaces. So, now you have to accept that you’re just museum cities,” Rosen declared.

He also pointed out that countries like Italy and Greece are tightening regulations to deter tourists.

Venice is charging a $5.36 entry fee during peak times, while Athens has introduced a time-slot system for the Acropolis.

“When tourists come to your country you should say ‘thank you so much for coming to visit our poor little playground’ because that’s what you are… our playground,” he added.

Rosen listed perks such as pensions, healthcare, extensive vacation time, and early retirement, which he claims Europeans enjoy thanks to American tourists.

“It’s okay you had a good run, time to accept your fate Europe,” he captioned his video.