On Saturday, April 5th, there will be a mass demonstration on the streets of Palma, Majorca. This is the first of a series of this year's protests to pass through the streets of Spain. The organizers of the event want to draw attention to the problems facing the Spanish, including the housing crisis, which, according to the protesters, is the consequence of mass tourism.
Spain is 1 of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. In 2019, more than 82.2 million tourists visited the country, with a gross of EUR 124.7 billion (data from a detailed study by the Spanish Tourism Agency). However, this popularity has its dark side. Excess tourists harm local residents, causing rising acquisition and rental prices, rising food prices, pistoning in attractive places, and demolition of nature.
Protest organizers say that hoteliers, politicians and property investors are liable for greed that leads to environmental degradation. In a letter to tourists, protesters urged them to stay distant from the manifestation. – It is time to ask you not to come. We do not request more tourists, in fact you are the origin of our problem – they wrote.
The problems of mass tourism in Spain are noticeable. In Barcelona, 1 of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, housing prices have increased by more than 40% in the last 5 years (data from the detailed study of the Barcelona City Council). In Madrid, the capital of Spain, food prices have increased by more than 20% in the last 3 years (data from a detailed study by the Spanish Statistical Office).
The Spanish economy is heavy dependent on tourism, which brings about 11% of the country's GDP (data from a detailed study by the Spanish Central Bank). However, the costs of mass tourism, specified as environmental pollution, congestion and housing accessibility, are increasingly apparent.
In Spain there have been demonstrations against mass tourism for over 2 years. Protests have already been held in Barcelona, Madrid, the Canary Islands and elsewhere. The Spanish Government has announced a regulation that will reduce the number of tourists and support local residents. However, the details of these regulations are inactive unknown.
Local authorities and non-governmental organisations in Spain are working to find a balance between the economical benefits that tourism brings and the problems it creates for residents. 1 solution could be to introduce limits for tourists, increase entry fees in cities and improve tourist infrastructure.
Protests in Majorca are also signal that mass tourism is simply a problem that requires an immediate solution. The Spanish and the Spanish government must work together to find a balance between the economical benefits and the problems it creates for the people. This is the only way to guarantee that tourism develops in a sustainable and beneficial way for local communities.
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Protests in Majorca: Spanish fight against mass tourism
