Spain has seen a significant rise in the cost of living due to massive levels of tourism driving up prices, particularly in Barcelona, where local residents have expressed their displeasure by spraying tourists with water guns and canned drinks, urging them to return to their countries.
Over the weekend, about 3,000 Spanish citizens gathered in the Barceloneta neighborhood, blocking entrances to hotels and cafes, and expressing their frustration with mass tourism and its impacts on Spain’s most visited city.
Holding banners reading, “Tourists go home, you are not welcome,” protesters demanded a reduction in the number of foreign visitors to Barcelona, actually confronting tourists in front of hotels and restaurants.
The influx of tourists has led to an increase in living costs and rental prices, making it difficult for many locals to afford housing. Spanish authorities report that housing costs have risen by a whopping 68% in the city over the past decade, becoming a major point of contention among disgruntled residents.
Last year alone, more than 12 million tourists visited Barcelona, drawn to its iconic attractions such as the Sagrada Familia Basilica. This latest protest follows similar large-scale demonstrations in other tourist hotspots across Spain.
In June, 15,000 people gathered in Málaga in the south of Spain rallying against excessive tourism, while in May over 10,000 people marched in Palma de Mallorca protesting the impact of massive tourism.
In the first five months of 2024 alone, Spain has welcomed more than 33 million tourists, marking a 13.6% increase compared to the previous year, according to CBS News.
Peter Debrine, a senior official at UNESCO’s Sustainable Tourism Project, has cautioned about the potential spread of protests to other European cities grappling with “overtourism.” He said it’s important for European officials to “address the negative impact of mass tourism on local residents’ lives,” citing Spain as “a critical example of the need for elected officials to respond to their citizens’ concerns.”
Spain is not the only European country facing challenges from tourism’s impact on local populations. Earlier this year, Venice, Italy, took action by becoming the first city to impose a fee on daily visitors.