As anti-tourism protests grow in Europe, we need a rethink – but that's no reason to stop travelling
After coordinated protests across Europe last weekend, it's easy for the ethically conscious tourist to feel uncertain. Across southern Europe – and particularly in Spain, Italy and Portugal – there are headlines blaming visitors for everything from overcrowding to housing shortages. In gentrifying neighbourhoods, slogans such as 'Tourists go home' have appeared on walls and windows, with some angry residents grabbing headlines by squirting water pistols at tourists.
Does that mean a golden age of tourism is over? No. Does the complicated relationship between those who want to visit the world's most interesting places and those who live in them need a reset? Probably.
For the most part, protesters are calling for a total overhaul of a model of tourism that, they argue, drives up housing costs, harms the environment and creates low-paid, unstable jobs – while concentrating profits in the hands of a few.
I've seen this first-hand. I live in Lavapiés, a vibrant and multicultural neighbourhood near Madrid's main train station. When I moved here 12 years ago, the area was a haven of traditional bars and restaurants and independent shops. Today, many of those restaurants – once offering a full menú del día for €8 (£6.80) – have doubled their prices. A recently built Ibis hotel, complete with a digital price board resembling a petrol station display, now advertises fluctuating nightly rates of about €150 to €250. Local businesses have been replaced by ground-floor tourist accommodation, with passersby able to peer straight into capsule bedrooms from the street.
Lavapiés has one of the highest concentrations of unlicensed tourist rentals in Madrid. These small flats, originally built in the 18th and 19th centuries to house the city's growing industrial workforce, remained affordable for centuries. Now, thousands of such flats are listed on Airbnb at rates rivalling those in the city's wealthiest neighbourhoods. But tourists aren't choosing these places maliciously – short-term rental platforms offer cheaper, more flexible options for groups, especially in a market where a basic hotel room can easily cost €100 or more a night.
This is not just a story of tourists replacing local people; it's one of policy failure and economic imbalance. In Madrid, decent food is often still relatively affordable – but the same can't be said for accommodation. The charming, no-frills guesthouses with lace curtains and wrought-iron balconies are disappearing fast, and the gap they leave behind is being filled by unlicensed rentals in former homes. There are roughly 15,000 illegal tourist apartments in Madrid alone, rising to more than 66,000 across the country.
To its credit, Spain's leftwing coalition government has attempted to regulate rents and pledged to build more housing. But these plans, combined with resistance from regional governments, fail to address the immediate impact that tourist rentals have on the availability of affordable homes. In the case of Madrid, the regional government, presided over by the rightwing People's party (PP), has refused to declare 'high-tension areas' in order to allow city councils to limit rent increases as provided for in the new national legislation.
Likewise, the PP-dominated Madrid city council recently approved a modification of town planning rules, formally separating tourist accommodation from residential buildings. Although the official line is that this is a step towards protecting housing for local people, it has in reality paved the way for entire buildings to be converted into tourist-only properties and made it easier to transform ground-floor commercial premises into tourist lets.
As southern Europe's cities and islands have passed a tipping point, some are calling for an outright ban on tourist flats, starting with those that are unlicensed. That may be necessary, but solving the housing crisis will take more than just tighter regulations and housebuilding – the other half of the equation is addressing the lack of decent, mid-range places for tourists to stay. Spain continues to build hotels, but too many new developments are glitzy four- and five-star projects aimed at luxury travellers. This shortage of modest, comfortable accommodation mirrors the broader shortage of affordable housing for residents.
As Europe responds with growing resentment towards tourists, many people are asking: is it even possible to enjoy a trip without contributing to the problem? Can you still visit Madrid, Barcelona or the Canary Islands without encountering the 'Tourists go home' signs – or being squirted with water pistols? Should you?
The answer is yes. First, it's important to put the water pistol incidents in perspective: these are symbolic, isolated acts and far from the norm. More importantly, tourism is vital to Spain's economy, accounting for roughly 12% of GDP. The country wants tourists, but that doesn't mean business as usual should continue. National and regional governments, and city councils, must do far more to regulate short-term rentals, support local communities and invest in affordable infrastructure – for residents and visitors.
But travellers have an important role to play too: by choosing accommodation designed for tourists wherever possible; by learning about housing pressures in the places they visit; or by exercising judgment about where and when to travel. Opting to visit a resort town on the mainland rather than a city on an island might put less pressure on local communities and resources, for example.
Times can be tense, but don't let guilt define your presence as a tourist. Feeling bad for visiting a place only plays into resentment and shifts the focus away from where it belongs: on deficits in housing and tourist accommodation. My advice is no more water pistols: instead, plan and build so countries work for residents and tourists.
Leah Pattem is a multimedia journalist based in Spain
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The Guardian
18 hours ago
- The Guardian
As anti-tourism protests grow in Europe, we need a rethink – but that's no reason to stop travelling
After coordinated protests across Europe last weekend, it's easy for the ethically conscious tourist to feel uncertain. Across southern Europe – and particularly in Spain, Italy and Portugal – there are headlines blaming visitors for everything from overcrowding to housing shortages. In gentrifying neighbourhoods, slogans such as 'Tourists go home' have appeared on walls and windows, with some angry residents grabbing headlines by squirting water pistols at tourists. Does that mean a golden age of tourism is over? No. Does the complicated relationship between those who want to visit the world's most interesting places and those who live in them need a reset? Probably. For the most part, protesters are calling for a total overhaul of a model of tourism that, they argue, drives up housing costs, harms the environment and creates low-paid, unstable jobs – while concentrating profits in the hands of a few. I've seen this first-hand. I live in Lavapiés, a vibrant and multicultural neighbourhood near Madrid's main train station. When I moved here 12 years ago, the area was a haven of traditional bars and restaurants and independent shops. Today, many of those restaurants – once offering a full menú del día for €8 (£6.80) – have doubled their prices. A recently built Ibis hotel, complete with a digital price board resembling a petrol station display, now advertises fluctuating nightly rates of about €150 to €250. Local businesses have been replaced by ground-floor tourist accommodation, with passersby able to peer straight into capsule bedrooms from the street. Lavapiés has one of the highest concentrations of unlicensed tourist rentals in Madrid. These small flats, originally built in the 18th and 19th centuries to house the city's growing industrial workforce, remained affordable for centuries. Now, thousands of such flats are listed on Airbnb at rates rivalling those in the city's wealthiest neighbourhoods. But tourists aren't choosing these places maliciously – short-term rental platforms offer cheaper, more flexible options for groups, especially in a market where a basic hotel room can easily cost €100 or more a night. This is not just a story of tourists replacing local people; it's one of policy failure and economic imbalance. In Madrid, decent food is often still relatively affordable – but the same can't be said for accommodation. The charming, no-frills guesthouses with lace curtains and wrought-iron balconies are disappearing fast, and the gap they leave behind is being filled by unlicensed rentals in former homes. There are roughly 15,000 illegal tourist apartments in Madrid alone, rising to more than 66,000 across the country. To its credit, Spain's leftwing coalition government has attempted to regulate rents and pledged to build more housing. But these plans, combined with resistance from regional governments, fail to address the immediate impact that tourist rentals have on the availability of affordable homes. In the case of Madrid, the regional government, presided over by the rightwing People's party (PP), has refused to declare 'high-tension areas' in order to allow city councils to limit rent increases as provided for in the new national legislation. Likewise, the PP-dominated Madrid city council recently approved a modification of town planning rules, formally separating tourist accommodation from residential buildings. Although the official line is that this is a step towards protecting housing for local people, it has in reality paved the way for entire buildings to be converted into tourist-only properties and made it easier to transform ground-floor commercial premises into tourist lets. As southern Europe's cities and islands have passed a tipping point, some are calling for an outright ban on tourist flats, starting with those that are unlicensed. That may be necessary, but solving the housing crisis will take more than just tighter regulations and housebuilding – the other half of the equation is addressing the lack of decent, mid-range places for tourists to stay. Spain continues to build hotels, but too many new developments are glitzy four- and five-star projects aimed at luxury travellers. This shortage of modest, comfortable accommodation mirrors the broader shortage of affordable housing for residents. As Europe responds with growing resentment towards tourists, many people are asking: is it even possible to enjoy a trip without contributing to the problem? Can you still visit Madrid, Barcelona or the Canary Islands without encountering the 'Tourists go home' signs – or being squirted with water pistols? Should you? The answer is yes. First, it's important to put the water pistol incidents in perspective: these are symbolic, isolated acts and far from the norm. More importantly, tourism is vital to Spain's economy, accounting for roughly 12% of GDP. The country wants tourists, but that doesn't mean business as usual should continue. National and regional governments, and city councils, must do far more to regulate short-term rentals, support local communities and invest in affordable infrastructure – for residents and visitors. But travellers have an important role to play too: by choosing accommodation designed for tourists wherever possible; by learning about housing pressures in the places they visit; or by exercising judgment about where and when to travel. Opting to visit a resort town on the mainland rather than a city on an island might put less pressure on local communities and resources, for example. Times can be tense, but don't let guilt define your presence as a tourist. Feeling bad for visiting a place only plays into resentment and shifts the focus away from where it belongs: on deficits in housing and tourist accommodation. My advice is no more water pistols: instead, plan and build so countries work for residents and tourists. Leah Pattem is a multimedia journalist based in Spain
Reuters
19 hours ago
- Reuters
Spain's Iberia plans to increase long-haul fleet to 70 aircraft
MADRID, June 18 (Reuters) - Iberia expects to increase its fleet of long-haul aircraft to 70 planes from 45 by the middle of the next decade, the Spanish airline said in a strategic plan released on Wednesday. Owned by International Consolidated Airlines (ICAG.L), opens new tab, Iberia plans to invest 6 billion euros ($6.90 billion) as part of the plan. Iberia CEO Marco Sansavini told reporters that 70% of the investment needed for the fleet expansion will come mainly from its own cash flow. The company will also add four short-haul jets in 2026 and 2027, he said. "All our fleet will comprise Airbus ( opens new tab airplanes, which allows us to be efficient," Sansavini said. The airline, part of a group that includes British Airways, Aer Lingus and Vueling, will continue to lead on routes between Europe and Latin America from its Madrid hub. It also plans to add direct flights to Toronto, Philadelphia and Monterrey in Mexico in response to strong sales performance in North America, Sansavini said. ($1 = 0.8694 euros)
The Independent
19 hours ago
- The Independent
Humble fish stew showcases the underappreciated cuisine of Spain's Balearic islands
In the shadow of an imposing stone bell tower, market stalls fan out by the dozens from the central plaza of Sineu, Mallorca. Every Wednesday, vendors fill the surrounding streets with produce from the fertile central plain of the Spanish Mediterranean island. Interspersed among the plump tomatoes, leafy chard and bright citrus are more stalls overflowing with handcrafts, textiles, jewelry and more. The scene plays out much like it has every week since at least the early 1200s. Designated a royal market in 1304, it's the only remaining market in Spain's Balearic Islands allowed to sell live rabbits, poultry and farm animals. Naturally, the produce changes with the season, showcasing products that define a cuisine that's little known outside the Balearic Islands. Although the islands are better known for their pristine beaches and sun-drenched cliffs, Jeff Koehler's new book, 'The Spanish Mediterranean Islands Cookbook,' aims to give the food some worthy attention. 'It's only a 30-minute flight from Barcelona,' said Koehler. 'But it's amazing to see that it has its own culinary culture.' Mallorca is the biggest of the Mediterranean chain, which also includes Ibiza, Formentera and Menorca, where Koehler, an American, has lived part time for 15 years. Much of the diet is classic Mediterranean, with lots of olive oil, legumes and fresh vegetables. But Koehler said the islands differ from the rest of the region because they were so isolated. The cuisine developed with few outside influences, with locals relying on heavily on fishing, foraging and preserving to survive the winter. Restriction led to creativity. As an example, he cited the moment in springtime when fava beans are suddenly everywhere in springtime. 'Then you start thinking of five ways of making fava beans because it's what's there now,' he said. 'What starts as this necessity of just survival eventually converts into real gastronomic treats.' Locals may pair favas, or broad beans, with mint, spring onions and sobrassada, a paprika-spiced, uncased pork sausage that's like a spreadable chorizo. Or they add them to a frittata-like Spanish tortilla, or use them with cuttlefish, bacon and onions. The result in each case is a humble yet tasty dish, a combination that is typical of the islands. One of the most representative is caldereta de peix, a simple fish stew that is served over slices of toasted day-old bread. Originally prepared with the worthless bycatch that got caught in fishermen's nets, it features a saffron-scented tomato broth with garlic, onion and white wine. The bold flavor is much more than the sum of its parts, and it exemplifies how leftovers can become a delicious classic. 'First came the need to eat,' Koehler writes. 'Then came the desire to eat well.' Caldereta de peix (Fish stew) From Jeff Koehler's 'The Spanish Mediterranean Islands Cookbook' Time: About an hour, 10 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: One 3- to 4-pound whole fish, such as scorpion fish, bream, sea bass or red snapper, or another firm-fleshed variety. Or 1 1/2 pound filets 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 3 medium tomatoes, halved and grated 1/4 cup dry white wine 8 cups fish stock 1 teaspoon sweet paprika Small pinch of saffron threads, crumbled Very thin slices of day-old country-style bread, cut into 2.5-cm/1-inch-wide strips and lightly toasted, for serving Directions: Cut the fish crosswise into thick steaks. Reserve the heads and tails. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium. Add the onions and cook until soft, 8–10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and then add the tomatoes. Cook until pulpy and deeper red, about 10 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water (or stock) from time to time to keep it moist. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the stock. Use a hand blender to puree the sauce, or transfer it to a blender to puree and return it to the pot. Stir in the paprika and saffron, and season with salt and pepper. Season the fish steaks and reserved heads and tails (if using whole fish) with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Pour over the remaining stock. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Don't let it reach a strong boil, to keep the fish from breaking apart. Remove the pot from the heat. Remove and discard the heads and tails. Cover the pot and let sit for 10 minutes. To serve, put a couple of pieces of toasted bread in each of 4 wide soup bowls. Ladle over the soup with 1 or 2 pieces of fish per bowl.
