Protests in Barcelona: activists put tourists under pressure!
Protests in Barcelona: activists put tourists under pressure!
In the Spanish metropolis Barcelona, more than a thousand people protested against unchecked mass tourism on the weekend, June 14 and 15, 2025. The demonstrators, organized by activists, showed their anger and frustration on the negative effects of tourism on the quality of life of the residents. Barcelona, which is the second most popular holiday destination worldwide after Paris, continues to attract millions of tourists every year.
In the first quarter of 2025, Spain recorded an increase in international guests by 5.7 percent compared to the previous year, which means a total of 17.1 million arrivals. The activists demand a healthier balance between tourists and locals, since mass tourism contributes to problems such as overcrowded cities and beaches as well as increasing living costs and a lack of living space.Protest actions and demands of the activists
The protests in Barcelona were not the first of its kind. In the previous year, thousands demonstrated against the same challenges. Slogans like "Enough! Let us set limits" illustrate the euphoria of the demonstrators. In current protests, the activists not only use water pistols to spray tourists and tourist buildings, but also to make smoke torches to draw attention to their concerns. In May they even surrounded a tourist bus and blocked its onward journey.
The social and economic situation for the locals has worsened dramatically. An increase in rental prices by 68 percent in the past ten years is burdened by the budget of numerous households. This development can not only be observed in Barcelona - similar protests also take place in other Spanish holiday regions such as Mallorca and the Canary Islands. There the number of participants rose to around 8000.
Answer by the authorities and the future regulatory environment
In view of the problem, the city administration of Barcelona plans to allow new apartments for tourists from 2028. Over 10,000 holiday apartments should be available again for permanent tenants to relieve the tense real estate market and to improve the lives of residents. In the recent protests, the police estimated the number of participants at 600, while the organizers reported over 1000 people.The demonstrating activist Elena Boschi made it clear that tourists should "have a certain degree of fear of the situation." This clear message illustrates the urgency of the protesters to raise awareness of the problems of mass tourism.
Overall, it can be seen that the pressure on the tourist hotspots in Spain grows. Generations of investments in the infrastructure and the creation of jobs now contradict the needs of the locals that suffer from high living costs and a changing urban landscape. Any form of resistance could thus become a key tactics in order to make the concerns of citizens more heard.
For more information on the protests in Barcelona, please visit Tagesschau .
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| Ort | Barcelona, Spanien |
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