Thousands of
residents on the Spanish island of Mallorca took to the streets on Sunday,
voicing strong opposition to mass tourism, or overtourism. This protest is part
of a broader movement across Spain
where locals are pushing back against the negative impacts of an overwhelming
influx of visitors.
The protest,
organized by the group Menys Turisme, Mas Vida (Less Tourism, More Life), saw
participants carrying banners with messages such as “Tourists, we love you when
you don’t buy our land” and “Your paradise is our nightmare”. Demonstrators
marched through Palma de Mallorca, the island’s capital city situated on its
southern coast, CNN
reported.
Organizers
estimated that around 50,000 people participated in the protest, which began at
approximately 7:00 p.m. local time. However, local police reported a lower
figure of around 12,000, according to Spanish public broadcasting service RTVE.
The group behind
the protest criticized the island’s current tourism model, claiming it
“impoverishes workers and enriches only a few.” Participants’ demands include
the development of an “alternative tourism model,” “access to decent housing,” the
“improvement of public services,” and the “conservation and regeneration of
natural areas.”
Sunday’s
demonstration was a large-scale manifestation of local frustration with the
tourism industry, which many argue has become unsustainable. The protest
included participation from around 110 different groups and social movements,
highlighting the widespread nature of residents’ discontent. It occurred amid
mounting tensions over tourism’s impact on several areas of Spain.
The Balearic
Islands—which include Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera—have long been
popular tourist destinations. According to the Spanish National Statistics
Institute, these islands attracted 14.4 million foreign visitors last year.
Earlier this
month, anti-tourism sentiment was also clearly visible in Barcelona, where protesters
sprayed tourists with water and marched through the city chanting, “Tourists
go home.”
In an attempt to
quell some of this frustration among residents who feel their quality of life is
being compromised, authorities in the Balearic Islands introduced new
regulations in May, banning street drinking in key tourist areas of Ibiza and
Mallorca, except for designated terraces and licensed venues.
In April, the
Spanish Canary Islands witnessed a hunger strike by locals protesting against
the detrimental effects of excessive tourism, which they claim is leading to
skyrocketing living costs and environmental degradation.
Spain is the
second most-visited country in Europe,
just behind France,
and received 85 million visitors last year, representing a nearly 19 percent
jump from the previous year. Barcelona, Spain’s most-visited city, is at
the forefront of the struggle against overtourism, and recently announced that
it would substantially increase the tourist
tax on cruise ship passengers.
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