‘Are we still welcome?' – Tourists' fears laid bare as Spain locals plan 15 more summer protests after ‘go home' chant
HOLIDAYMAKERS are worried that Spain is "not safe" and they are no longer welcome following a number of protests highlighting the impact of over-tourism.
Demonstrators have
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Thousands demonstrate against tourism policies on the island of Tenerife in April 2024
Credit: Getty Images
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Protesters shoot water from water guns at tourists during a protest against mass tourism in Barcelona last summer
Credit: REUTERS
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Spain is one of the most popular locations for Irish holidaymakers
Credit: REUTERS/Bruna Casas
The new protests, which will take place in the Spanish destinations
It is understood that some
The
And, after some Spaniards took to the streets to block visitors from popular beaches and even
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Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy said he has noticed a growing "perception" that some Spanish residents resent the influx of tourists.
Speaking at an event at the Spanish embassy in
"It is becoming a big issue unfortunately, and perception becomes truth."
Some activists
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During past protests, demonstrators have chanted "tourists go home" and "tourism kills cities".
Inside Tenerife's ongoing war between tourists and locals
But Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in London, insisted that holidaymakers must be able to distinguish between "specific local tensions and the broader national picture".
He said: "The vast majority of Spain remains enthusiastic in welcoming tourists.
"Where protests have occurred – in cities such as
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"Spain is taking concrete steps to address these issues – through legislation on short-term rentals, tourism taxes in certain regions, and more comprehensive destination management."
Protests will across both
SHOULD I STILL GO ON MY HOLIDAY?
THE backlash against mass tourism in Spain is not new - but it has intensified in recent years.
Locals in cities like Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and San Sebastián have voiced concerns about overcrowding, rising living costs, and the loss of local culture.
But Spain doesn't really hate tourists - they just want the government to introduce a more sustainable practice.
Idealista, a Spanish rental property website, said: "Visitors are still very much welcome in Spain in 2025, but the country is calling for more respectful, sustainable travel practices.
"In the end, it's about finding a balance that benefits both locals and tourists alike."
The cities
plan to mobilise under a common slogan, but each city and region will decide how to organise their actions.
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And protests heading to the Canary Islands this month have been warned of another set of protests taking place in just a few days.
Similar events will take place across the
with protestors once again taking to the streets in demonstrative marches from 11am on May 18.
ISLANDS 'COLLAPSING'
Locals will start the demonstration - which
And a total of 15 separate groups have said they will take to the streets across the Canary Islands under an umbrella protest platform, fuming "The Canary Islands Have a Limit."
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The platform said: 'We've still lacking a true change of model that guarantees a decent future for the people who live in these islands.
'That's why we're announcing that in the month of May we will
A spokesman claimed the eight islands that make up the Atlantic Ocean archipelago were 'collapsing' under tourist pressure and the future for locals being priced out of somewhere to live by 'foreign speculators' encouraged by regional government inaction looked bleaker than ever.
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Acitivists stop a tourist bus in front of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona last month
Credit: REUTERS
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Graffiti reading 'tourists go home' on a wall in Barcelona city centre
Credit: Alamy Live News
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Acitivists stop a tourist bus with water pistols in Barcelona last month
Credit: REUTERS/Bruna Casas
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