Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to express growing anger over the perception that tourism is strangling the city.
A crowd estimated by police at 2,800 people marched along the waterfront chanting, “Enough is enough! Limit tourism!”
Waved signs bearing slogans such as “Barcelona is not for sale” and “Tourists go home”, protesters targeted popular tourist sites, some using water guns at unsuspecting holidaymakers enjoying outdoor meals. Chants of “Tourists leave our area” rang out through the streets as protesters halted in front of a hotel.
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Housing prices in the city are soaring
The rising cost of living is a big issue for Barcelona residents: house prices have risen 68 percent in the past decade, and rents in tourist destinations like Barcelona and Madrid rose a staggering 18 percent year-on-year in June, according to Idealista. Residents believe that an influx of tourists is the main cause of these skyrocketing costs, fundamentally changing the city’s economic situation.
The city is taking steps to address residents’ concerns. In June, it announced plans to phase out all short-term rentals by 2028, a drastic measure aimed at keeping housing costs down and ensuring Barcelona remains a liveable city for residents. The city council also recently announced a ban on tourist apartment rentals – there are now more than 10,000 – in an effort to return these properties to the local housing market.
More than 85 million tourists will visit Spain in 2023
These protests are not isolated incidents: Similar demonstrations have erupted in other Spanish tourist destinations, including Palma de Mallorca and the Canary Islands. Spain, Europe’s second most tourist-rich country after France, is set to see an 18.7% increase in foreign visitors in 2023, bringing in more than 85 million tourists. Catalonia, the region of Barcelona, will be the most visited with 18 million tourists, followed by the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Protesters rallied in the streets of Palma de Mallorca
Credit: Sean Porgol/fb
Local discontent is reaching a boiling point. Protest groups such as the Association of Lovers of Nature in Tenerife (ATAN) are planning further demonstrations and have vowed to target “major tourist destinations” this summer. They say their calls for change are being ignored and urge residents to continue fighting against a tourism model they see as harmful to their way of life.
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