In Malaga, Spain, a city in the southern Andalusia region, over 5,000 demonstrators gathered under the slogan ‘Malaga to live, not just survive.’ During the protest, signs reading ‘Salary 1300, rent 1100 euros, how can I live?’, ‘Ban tourist homes’ were displayed. A 26-year-old protester told the French News Agency (AFP), ‘The city has turned into an amusement park,’ highlighting the difficulty locals face in finding affordable apartments to live in.
In another Andalusian city, Cadiz, hundreds gathered with the slogan ‘One tourist less is one neighbor more,’ unveiling banners that stated ‘Enough with selling our city.’ Cadiz’s port is a popular stop for numerous cruise ships.
Similar protests against mass tourism are also occurring in Spanish cities and regions like Mallorca, Ibiza, the Canary Islands, and Barcelona. Spaniards complain that many homes are being rented out to tourists, which is causing rents to rise and city centers to become unbearable due to noise and pollution.
Spain welcomed 85 million tourists
According to the Spanish statistical office INE, about 85 million foreign tourists visited Spain in 2023. The number of tourists increased by approximately 19% compared to the previous year. The tourism boom has led to a growth in the Spanish economy of 2.5% last year, exceeding all international expectations. However, public dissatisfaction with the negative impacts of mass tourism is growing.
