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Monday, Jun 16, 2025

Protests Erupt Across Spain Against Mass Tourism Amid Housing Crisis

Demonstrators in Barcelona, Palma, San Sebastián, and Granada call for measures to address the negative impacts of tourism on local communities.
Thousands of people across Spain rallied on Sunday against mass tourism, citing its adverse effects on local communities and escalating housing prices.

The protests unfolded in several cities, including Barcelona, Palma, San Sebastián, and Granada, with participants voicing their frustrations against a tourism model that they claim displaces residents and drives up costs.

In Palma, demonstrators gathered to express their opposition to mass tourism in Mallorca, which they believe is unsustainable for local development.

The protests extended to nearby Ibiza, with participants wielding banners and signs highlighting their demands for measures to curb tourist inflow, such as banning vacation rentals and reducing the number of flights to the Balearic islands.

Jaume Pujol, spokesperson for the platform "Menys Turisme, Més Vida" (Less Tourism, More Life), emphasized the necessity of ending "touristification" and imposing limits on tourism.

In San Sebastián, around 500 people participated, alternating chants advocating for housing as a right and against mass tourism.

The march, organized by the platform Bizilagunekin, saw the support of 48 associations, labor unions, and civic groups, which highlighted the direct connection between the local housing crisis and an unchecked tourism industry.

Eihar Egaña, the group's spokesperson, articulated the issue as a "transversal problem" affecting cities worldwide, including Venice, Lisbon, and Barcelona.

In Barcelona, approximately 600 individuals, according to local police, took to the streets in a demonstration that was largely prevented from reaching the vicinity of the Sagrada Familia due to police intervention.

Initiated by the Assembly of Neighborhoods for Tourism Degrowth, the march began at the Jardines de Salvador Espriu and progressed along the Passeig de Gràcia.

Protesters expressed their dissent against a recent airport expansion proposal for El Prat, displaying placards with slogans like "Bread, Roof, Future" and "One Tourist More, One Neighbor Less." Attendees comprised representatives from various groups concerned with the impact of mass tourism on the city's livability.

In Granada, several hundred individuals convened at the Mirador de San Nicolás, organized by the "Albayzín Habitable" platform.

This local movement opposes a "predatory tourism" model and calls for measures to ensure residents are not displaced from the Albaicín neighborhood, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The platform pointed out that one in four residences in the area is designated for tourist use, illustrating the depth of "touristification" that is eroding the neighborhood's character.

Spokesperson César Rodríguez noted that the protest served to amplify concerns regarding a tourism model that adversely affects local residents while evaluating a year of activities aimed at preserving the "Albaicín essence."

The protests reflect a growing discontent regarding the evolving relationship between tourism and local communities in Spain, as cities grapple with the economic benefits of tourism against the backdrop of rising living costs and a housing crisis.
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