Grim ‘we want tourists to have some level of fear' warning to Irish days before protests take over 16 Spain hotspots

The Irish Sun

01-05-2025

THERE is a major alert for Irish holidaymakers ahead of new protests in a Spanish holiday hotspot.
Severe disruptions are expected on June 15 with protests scheduled for Lanzarote, Tenerife, Barcelona and Majorca.
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Disruption seen last summer is expected again over coming months
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Mid-June demonstrations will see groups block major tourist attractions
Credit: REUTERS/Bruna Casas
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The Canary Islands will see action in just a matter of weeks
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The
It comes as figures reveal the average cost of rents in
The availability of residential lets in many of these areas has also fallen, adding fuel to the fire.
Protests over the past year have already seen thousands of Spaniards
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And
This group is comprised of
During the June demonstrations it is understood protestors will block access to famous attractions such as the Sagrada Familia.
Similar events will take place across the
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They too will block access to popular tourist hotspots.
It is understood demonstrations at airports are also planned and protesters will blockade buses carrying tourists.
'Empty hotels, no rental cars and no cyclists' chant anti-tourist zealots as thousands storm 'historic' Majorca protest
Speaking after the meeting, Margalida Ramis from environmentalists GOB said there is an "urgent need to limit tourism growth and promote a true socioeconomic transformation".
'LEVEL OF FEAR'
And
Protestor Elena Boschi in Barcelona told the Mirror: "We want tourists to have some level of fear about the situation, without fear, there is no change."
She added: "Our cities and regions are not for sale and there is an urgent need to limit the growth of tourism, demand a change of course and decide on a path to tourism de-growth as a way out".
Protests will take place across 16 cities and regions across Spain, its islands, Portugal and Italy.
Barcelona, the Pyrenees, Mallorca, Venice, Valencia, Naples, Lisbon, Palermo, Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián, and Ibiza are all set to see protest action.
Activists from Santander, Genoa, Pamplona, Marseille, Milan, Barcelona and Rimini, as well as popular Spanish hotspots like the Canary Islands are set to back the action.
TENERIFE ACTION
Protest action in
Activist groups will get action underway from 11am on May 18.
This protest will see locals demonstrate in the Plaza Weyler in the capital tourist hotspot of Santa Cruz.
According to organisers 80,000 people had joined in
While each location will protest under a common slogan, regions will separately decide how their actions are organised.
'PLEASE DON'T COME'
Speaking late last month Ivan Cerdena Molina member of local environmental group ATAN,
He said: "We had 16 million tourists [in the Canaries] in 2023 and 18 million in 2024. In 2025, the number is increasing again.
HOSPITALITY FURY
Anti-tourism protests come amid
Hotel workers in the Canary Islands conducted a two-day industrial action that clashing with peak Easter travel times.
These April 17 and 18 demonstrations saw thousands of hotel workers from stage action outside hotels in a dispute over pay.
The strikes follow the rejection of the latest proposal from the employers' associations that included a six per cent pay increase, implementation of adjustable beds, and the establishment of a negotiation table before the end of the month to address other concerns.
Despite mediation efforts by the Fernando Clavijo, President of the Canary Islands strikes involve approximately 80,000 hotel industry employees in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro.
"The government didn't do anything; it just spoke nice words with no real action.
"The situation is really critical, no one who wants to enjoy holidays with peace would come to a collapsed and congested island, it's simple there are too many people everywhere.
"Local people are really tired and angry, they are showing it. If we can ask something, it would be, please don't come, we cannot take it anymore."
LATEST DEMONSTRATION
Just last weekend
During the protest a tour bus was blocked and water pistols were shot at it as activists chanted: "Tourists go home."
The windows of the bus were also covered with a sign that said: "Turn off the tourist focus."
One person told Reuters: "We are here because we are fed up that tourism is always on top of this economic model."
Over 20 people were arrested amid the demonstrations.
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Hotel workers staged a major strike over Easter
Credit: EPA/Alberto Valdes
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Barcelona saw unrest as recently as the weekend
Credit: REUTERS/Bruna Casas