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HUNDREDS of fed-up locals have descended onto the streets of Barcelona – blasting holidaymakers with waterguns and launching smoke bombs.
Under the slogan “Tourism steals our bread, homes, and future“, the demonstrations in the Spanish capital came amid a huge wave of anti-tourism protests across the country.
Protesters shoot toy water guns during a demonstration against mass tourism in Barcelona, June 15
A hotel worker reacts as demonstrators shoot water pistols and coloured smoke
Protesters use water guns as a symbol against mass tourism
Getty
GettySimilar protests occurred this time last year, with both demonstrations being organised by the Assembly of Neighbourhoods for Tourism Degrowth.
A spokesperson for the group said they had encouraged members to bring water pistols, which he said had become “a popular symbol of resistance against the plundering of the tourism monoculture“.
Daniel Pardo Rivacoba added that the tourism industry was “incompatible with life”, and demanded “tourism degrowth now”.
Astonishing images showed scores of furious activists calling for the decline of tourism in their city and across Spain.
Pointing their loaded water guns in the air and at holidaymakers, they called for the boycott of AirBnB and the end of rampant tourism.
Some were seen refilling their weapons using public water fountains, while others even taped up hostels in an attempt to keep tourists locked in their accommodations.
Riot police lined up to monitor the situation and keep the marches in check.
Demonstrators also used smoke flares and vandalised shops such as the Louis Vuitton store in Passeig de Gràcia.
The march set off from Jardinets de Gràcia just after 12:30pm local time.
Workers rights amid soaring overtourism were at the centre of the rally.
Unions representing migrant workers, street vendors and cleaners took part in the huge protests.
Spokesperson Pardo also said that the tourism industry “subjects the people who work in it to the worst working and salary conditions”.
He cited the housing crisis as another devastating impact of mass tourism.
The controversial expansion of Barcelona-El Prat Airport has also been a flashpoint for locals.
A spokesperson for one of the campaigns against this expansion, called Zeroport, emphasised that this message was being delivered to politicians and not to tourists.
Ariadna Cotèn said: “Tourists are not really to blame for this situation happening in Barcelona.”
But her message didn’t stop the hundreds of raging tourists who shouted in English for tourists to “go home”.
Reuters
Alamy
GettyThey held placards with messages such as “one more tourist, one less neighbour”, and “tourism is killing Barcelona”.
Anti-tourism protests also unfolded on Sunday in holiday hotspot Ibiza, Donostia-San Sebastián, Palma, Granada, and the Pyrenees.
But they have also spread across Europe – with some taking place in Lisbon, Portugal and across Italy this weekend.
It comes just one day after Spanish protesters held up a sightseeing bus in Palma de Majorca ahead of the major anti-tourism demonstrations.
The raging locals said the popular Spanish island is overwhelmed by tourists and driven by profit over local needs.
These demonstrations came after Spain’s first major overtourism protests of the year kicked off in April after thousands of people across 40 cities took to the streets.
Majorca, one of the centres of the protests last year, hosted the first mass protests of the year.
Nearly 40 organisations from the Balearic Islands are believed to have marched in Palma.
What is overtourism?
Overtourism refers to the phenomenon where a destination experiences a volume of tourists that exceeds its manageable capacity
The term is often used to describe the negative consequences of mass tourism, which includes overcrowding and environmental issues
As a result, popular destinations have become less enjoyable for both visitors and locals
Local communities, in particular, bear the brunt, facing rising costs and a depletion of resources
In response, national and local governments have started to implement measures to reduce overtourism
Some solutions include:
- Safeguarding historical and heritage sites
- Promoting off-peak travel
- Tourism caps and regulations
- Promoting lesser-known destinations
Later, in May, thousands flooded the streets of the Canary Islands in Spain‘s third wave of protests of the year.
Demonstrations took place across the Spanish archipelago’s islands, including Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.
The march carried the slogan: “The Canary Islands are not for sale, they are loved and defended.”
Other banners read: “The Canary Islands have a limit and so does our patience” and “Enough is enough!”
Spain‘s anti-mass tourism movement began gaining serious momentum in April 2024 – particularly in popular tourist destinations.
Locals have been demanding an end to the problems associated with mass tourism, including pollution, traffic chaos, the lack of affordable housing and low wages for tourism workers.
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