Last summer, Spain was captured by protests motivated by an increase in the number of tourists, which overloads the daily life of the inhabitants.
More than 90 million foreign visitors profit to the country in 2024, and the consulting company BRININTRUST, according to estimates, by 2040 the number of arriving will increase to 115 million.
An irritated inadequate government measures to control the stream, the places of all of Spain made hungry blows, distributed opposite messages at the visitors of interest and shot at water pistols to tourists.
With the approach of Easter holidays, the sensation of anti -delivery is again fermented, and the protests are growing.
Residents demand that the authorities strengthen regulation before the highest season is full of more tourist destinations.
Why do residents of Spain protest against tourism?
An uncontrolled influx of tourists in Spain in recent years has caused a number of undesirable consequences for residents.
One of the main consequences is the increase in the cost of housing, since housing is purchased for tourist lease and land acquired for the construction of new resorts.
In April last year, protesters in Tenerife organized a hunger strike from two new hotels, with some places to say that they were forced to sleep in their cars or caves, because they did not have money to buy housing on the island.
“We have nothing against individual tourists, but the industry is growing and growing and using so many resources that the island cannot cope with,” said Olive Press that the island could not cope, ”said Ivan Serda Molina, who helped organize protests.
“Airbnb and booking.com are like a cancer that is gradually consuming an island.”
Other attractions, such as Barcelona and Madrid, are also struggling with rising prices for renting residents.
In June last year, the City Council of Barcelona announced a plan for eliminating licenses for tourist apartments of the city by 2028. The city has not provided new licenses since 2014, when it froze an offer by about 10,000 units.
Spain also plans to introduce 100% tax on real estate purchased by residents of third countries, to its last measure to protect the real estate market from foreign buyers.
Sales of houses to foreigners, including EU citizens, make up about 15% of the real estate market, according to registration in Spanish real estate.
“The source of our problems”
Despite these measures, indignation continues to wander with protests already planned for Easter holidays.
At Majorca, local residents will conduct a demonstration on April 5, demanding a solution for the housing crisis, under the motto “We have completed the housing business.”
“The greed and greed of hoteliers, politicians, investors in real estate and“ parasites ”of all kinds” also worsened the ecosystem of the island, overloaded with public services and caused a gentleman, the activists wrote in the letter.
They came to the conclusion, begging tourists not to come to the island, calling them a “source of our problems.”
On the Canary Islands, workers at the hotel and restoration sector threaten to strike during Easter holidays from a dispute about salary.
The two main unions of Spain – CCOO (Comissees Obreras) and UGT (UNIón General of Working) – offered a single payment or increase in salary by 7.75% for hotel employees, restaurants and bars throughout the Spanish archipelago to facilitate the prohibitive cost of employees.
According to the National Institute of Spanish Statistics, 33.8% of the residents of the Canary Islands are at risk of poverty or social insulation, which is the largest number of all regions, with the exception of Andalusia.
Last week, riots in Tenerife flashed, caused by Ira against mass tourism, flared up. Activists vandalized the park of rolling cars and warned that they would raise their actions to the airports.
Next month, 15 groups of activists from Spain, Portugal, Italy and France will be held in Barcelona to coordinate efforts against unstable tourism.
The Meny Turismo, Més Life movement (less tourism, more life), based on Mallorca, said that this would double your efforts this summer.
The alliance of groups fights with the adverse consequences of excessive tourism, which accuses of exacerbation of speculation with real estate, moving local residents and thinking of the cost of life.