Anti tourist protests in Spain

Hard to tell if there have been fresh protests, or just the same examples from the last two years, resurrected for a fresh clickbait article.

I guess in the end, you should do as you believe, if you are uncomfortable with the possibility, then go elsewhere.

Do locals protest from time to time? Yes. They are frustrated with increasing housing costs, increasing food costs, inflation in general. Tourism is an easy scapegoat for these issues, it does contribute, but basic economic forces are more to blame.

When there is a protest, they really are trying to call their local government to action. Many of the groups that protest decry the impact of tourism on one hand, but are careful to say that they are not trying to drive tourists away (well, maybe the bad ones that do not spend much money) and in fact continue to promote their area for tourism.

Does that Help? I guess put it this way, I have a trip planned to Spain in April/May, I have no concerns. Was there last April for most of a month, did not encounter any hint of an issue.

Visited there in October and didn’t see any protests. The only high tourist cities visited were Toledo and Madrid.

If there are protests in the main tourist destinations, go to places that few tourists visit. In the places we visited, mostly in Extremadura, there were few tourists overall and even fewer from the U.S. We did have a rental car and visited a lot of very small towns and villages as day trips from the small cities (Plasencia, Mérida, Cáceres, Trujillo) we stayed in.

I am in Andalucia now. I spent almost a week in Sevilla before relocating to the province of Cadiz where I will spend two more weeks.

People were, and are, incredibly welcoming and I saw no evidence of any anti-tourism sentiment.

Nor did I see any in Valencia and around, when I visited last November for two weeks.
Or in Galicia or Lanzarote, where I spent a few weeks in both spots last spring.

I travel often to Spain and have not encountered anything of this sort. I think this is confined to places that attract large numbers of young tourists who come to Spain to go clubbing and to drink heavily...Benidorm, for example, and places in the Canarias....(but I saw none of this, as I said, above, in Lanzarote last May)

The majority of last years protests on mainland Spain occurred in Barcelona and were well documented in the media. Other than the use of squirt guns on tourists eating outdoors, they were pretty harmless and peaceful. They were directed more towards the government to get its attention and related to over tourism and its impact on the local community, housing, etc.

If you happen to be in a location when a protest erupts, go around it. Things can turn ugly quickly so best to avoid them.

As an ex-pat living in Barcelona, I wouldn't worry about it. The tourist-targeted protests were (a) during the summer, when the city can be utterly slammed, and (b) targeting tourists eating at places like McDonalds. If you're trying to connect to the culture, you're generally not who they're frustrated with - and as Paul says above, most of the protesting is focused at the government, not at visitors. (In fact, it's been inspiring as a non-native to participate in some of the marches that have taken place to help renters in the city.)

The one cautionary note that I will make is that you will infinitely improve your odds of a smooth trip from local-attitude perspectives if you stay in hotels/hostels/pensions and not an AirBnB style accommodation. The housing market is under serious pressure, and the one place you might get some genuine anger is if people see you as a part of that problem. Otherwise, in October, as a thoughtful traveler, you'll be fine!

Thank you all so much. You’ve given me lots to think about. Happy travels!

Understanding the why and the how: Barcelona

I know some might say I’m biased, but honestly, that couldn’t be further from the truth. I don’t work in tourism, and whether tourists come or not doesn’t really affect me much—other than the occasional long line here and there! Like most people in Barcelona, I don’t lose sleep over who decides to visit. We are open to visitors, as we have always been, but life just goes on as usual, the city does not "live" on the back of tourism.

Now, if you follow European news at all, you’ll see this isn’t just a "Barcelona thing." Cities like Paris, Rome, Brussels, Berlin, Athens… they’re all facing similar issues, especially when it comes to housing. The shortage of available homes and sky-high prices are becoming a serious problem. And while there are lots of reasons behind this, one of the biggest ones is the shift of many apartments—from long-term rentals for local residents to short-term tourist rentals (days or weeks).

Barcelona, in particular, feels this pressure more than most. We’re squeezed between the sea, the mountains, and two neighboring cities, so there’s very little room to grow. That makes land and housing especially valuable. The city can’t comfortably support both residential housing and a booming short-term rental market. On top of that, short-term rentals are way more profitable—landlords can make €4000–5000 a month (with high occupancy), compared to maybe €1500–2000 from long-term tenants.

Understandably, this creates a lot of frustration for people who live here. Rents are climbing to unsustainable levels, and in some cases, landlords are simply choosing not to renew long-term leases so they can switch to short-term tourist rentals. That forces families and long-time residents to leave—not just their homes, but often their neighborhoods or even the city entirely.

Now, for many Americans, this might be hard to relate to, since geographic mobility is more common in the U.S. But here in Europe, people tend to stay rooted in one place most of their lives—whether it’s a neighborhood, a town, or a city. That creates strong social and family ties. So being forced to move—especially when it’s not by choice—can really shake up people’s lives.

The same story applies to local businesses. In the past decades, the heart of many European cities has completely changed. Independent shops and family-run businesses are being pushed out, replaced by big global chains. It flattens the identity of the city, makes everything look the same, and erases a lot of its charm. And why? Again, it’s the sky-high rent. Big multinationals can afford to throw money at prime locations, even if it doesn’t make long-term sense. Some leave those spots after just a short time, creating a constant feeling of instability.

So every now and then, residents speak up. Sometimes it’s just a few voices, sometimes it’s big and visual—like last year’s protest on Les Rambles in Barcelona, which made international headlines. We Barcelonans are known for being outspoken and creative when we protest. We like a bit of flair and aesthetic choreography—but we’re also generally peaceful. Maybe that’s why governments feel they can get away with ignoring us… maybe we should be a little less tolerant and a bit more ‘hands-on’, like our neighbours in France, the gilets jaunes! Of course, like in any group, there are always the angriest voices and a few opportunists who tag along without really caring about the cause. Sometimes that leads to clashes with the police—but that’s not the norm in our protests.

That said, as mentioned earlier, the frustration isn’t really directed at the tourist—although let’s be honest, there are a few who probably shouldn’t be allowed to leave their countries! 😄 The criticism is aimed at the lack of proper regulation, the failure to manage tourist flows, the uneven playing field between local businesses and massive corporations when it comes to taxes, and the way governments often cave to lobbying pressure when it’s time to tackle overcrowding—whether it’s in public transport, or the overuse (and abuse) of public healthcare services, which, by the way, are universal and funded by residents’ taxes. It's also about the lack of protection for our cultural and historical heritage—like old shops and family-run businesses that have been part of the city's fabric for generations.

And to be clear: Barcelonans love to travel too... a lot! A big chunk of us are tourists ourselves at one point or another. So we get what it’s like to arrive somewhere and be one of thousands. That’s why more and more of us are choosing to visit less popular destinations, trying not to add to the problem elsewhere.

Look at the cruise ship timetables in Barcelona. It’s insane how many thousands of passengers are dumped in Barcelona each day, more than any other city in Europe. Cities in France and Italy are limiting cruise ships because they aren’t contributing enough to the economy to justify the overcrowding and pollution.

Also Spain is one of the only countries in Europe that allows foreign investors to purchase apartments to be used as rentals. Airbnbs in France, Italy, Poland, UK, etc are privately owned so the money is invested back into the community.

Hotels aren’t necessarily any better than Airbnbs, as they are foreign owned as well.

Also Spain is one of the only countries in Europe that allows foreign
investors to purchase apartments to be used as rentals.

It's probably not true. I know of 4 others without doing any research. I live in one.

Nor is it true that short-term rentals are significant in affordable housing numbers. What is affordable housing? Too often, it's defined as i want to live in the most desirable location in the city for the same as it cost before there was indoor plumbing in that neighborhood.

What is affordable housing? Too often, it's defined as i want to live in the most desirable location in the city for the same as it cost before there was indoor plumbing in that neighborhood.

What a horrible take.

@N... you are greatly misinformed. Three paragraphs, three inaccurate statements. You should check your sources.

Enric, my take on N's comments. I'm not expert, so correct me.

Look at the cruise ship timetables in Barcelona. It’s insane how many
thousands of passengers are dumped in Barcelona each day, more than
any other city in Europe.

Well, don’t know how insane it is. That’s subjective. But it does appear to be in the top 3 in Europe as far as passengers arriving … quite possibly number one. Must not be a terrible thing as the citizens of Barcelona would not have permitted things to continue. The people of Spain are smart enough to choose their own directions and they have a democracy in which to do it; and I suspect they understand their situation better than the fine citizens of Colorado.

Cities in France and Italy are limiting cruise ships because they
aren’t contributing enough to the economy to justify the overcrowding
and pollution.

But the situation in each location is unique, so comparisons are worthless.

Also Spain is one of the only countries in Europe that allows foreign
investors to purchase apartments to be used as rentals. Airbnbs in
France, Italy, Poland, UK, etc are privately owned so the money is
invested back into the community.

You are seriously confused on this one. Just the basic premise that a “foreign investor” is not a private person for starters. Then there is the whole EU thing. A French man who buys in Italy is a “foreign investor” but under the EU he is treated the same as an Italian. Beyond that, Americans can own property in France, Italy, Poland and the UK and are only limited by the local short-term rental law with what they can do with the property. I looked and looked and couldn’t find any data on what percentage of the Spanish short term rental business is owned by other than Spanish citizens. So I presume it isnt extraordinary or it would be all over the internet.

Hotels aren’t necessarily any better than Airbnbs, as they are foreign
owned as well.

Sometimes. What is the fear? That the foreign owners will take the hotel with them some day, leaving a black hole in the country? Foreign or local, they both pay taxes, hire locals and put money into the economy.

So no Airbnb and no hotel. You recommend sleeping in the park?

Dear Claire m,

I'm just back from two weeks in Spain with a group of 22 college students. We covered a lot of ground: Burgos, Leon, Toledo, Madrid, Cordoba, Granada, Sevilla, Barcelona, Girona and Besalu and did not encounter (as far as I could tell) any hostile attitudes from the residents. On the contrary, people were tolerant and friendly. The travelers in our group with restrictive diets (allergies, etc) were treated very well. Wait staff would inquire in the kitchen if they had concerns about particular ingredients or preparations. It was no different from what I had encountered last October while traveling with my husband and another couple. Barcelona, even in late March, was extremely busy: by this I mean the Ramblas and the Boqueria. It will probably be much worse during the high season and it's possible that tensions will rise, but October - especially the second half of the month - will be quieter. There will always be a demand for popular sites like the Alhambra, the Prado, Sagrada Familia etc so buy tickets online in advance and be prepared with whatever ID is required. Unless our country's status in Europe changes dramatically (it could happen), you will be welcome in Spain. And they seem to understand the difference between an American tourist and the American administration.

Hey Mr. É,

I don’t really want to get pulled into that whole debate, but just to quickly sum things up:

1) The city has already cut down the number of tourist cruise ships allowed into the harbour each year, and also limited how many can dock at the same time. They’ll probably cut it back even more soon and start redirecting some to Tarragona. On top of that, they’ve raised the daily tourist tax and also bumped up the pollution tax for cruise companies. It’s all pretty much in line with what other big cruise destinations like Athens and Rome are doing.

2) In Barcelona, you need a license to turn a property into a tourist rental. The city hasn’t been issuing new ones in most districts for years now, regardless of whether the owner is local or foreign. Maybe @N doesn’t know this, but in Europe, anti-discrimination laws mean you can’t treat property owners differently based on where they’re from—EU resident or not. And yeah, this applies across the whole EU, not just here in Barcelona. So, it’s not exactly the "wild, unregulated far-west" some people might imagine.

3) Spain—and Catalonia in particular—is a tourism heavyweight. Sure, we’ve got a few big international hotel chains, but a lot of the major ones here are actually local. And honestly, I don’t really get the idea that being “foreign” somehow makes something worse or better.

Look at the cruise ship timetables in Barcelona. It’s insane how many thousands of passengers are dumped in Barcelona each day, more than any other city in Europe.

Like I said in the very first response, this is part of the dilemma. Many, including officials, decry the glut of low dollar cruise ship passengers on one hand, but approved and are getting ready to open yet another brand new, very large, cruise ship terminal (getting up to seven I believe) on the other hand. They claim they will then shut down 2 or 3 other terminals, but I really do not see that happening, the new one is exclusively for MSC. Meanwhile, officials continue to promote the city, looking for major events. If you were to put the message in a nutshell, they only want the tourists that stay in 5 star hotels, eat in Michelin restaurants, and drop a few 10's of thousands shopping in premium stores.

Total tourism numbers did go down a very small amount last year, and they are sharply reducing short term rentals, so there are actions, what the effects might be is anyone's guess

Barcelona seems to be ground zero for anti-tourism sentiment, understandably. My daughter's family just returned from a couple of weeks in Valencia and Madrid, where they encountered none of the nonsense that has permeated click-based "news" sites.

We just returned from 3 weeks in Seville and 1 week in Madrid, and while I encountered nothing but friendly natives, I have to say, there were WAY too many tourists. This was March, and those places were overwhelmed with tourists. Especially on the weekends. It's so easy for Europeans in colder climates to hop in a quick flight to Spain to get some warmer weather. On Sunday in Madrid, you could hardly walk around. It was jam-packed with people.

Speaking as a tourist, I would be happy to pay more for my accommodations if it meant fewer other tourists. So even though I love renting an Airbnb for a few weeks and pretending to be a local, I will happily switch to hotels and pay higher prices if it means lighter crowds.

But back to the original question- I would not be concerned about the locals being anti-tourist. If they are, they keep it to themselves, because to me, the people in Spain are the friendliest people I have ever met anywhere.

One thing I would add- I learned some Spanish, and, like probably most other countries, trying to use the local language brings out such a great reaction from the locals you meet.

Mr. E, I can tell you from my experience living in a tourist destination, that the money folks(chamber of commerce, government who wants the tax money) have more say so in items on the ballot than does the average resident because they have the money to spread lies that scare the voters.

So justice would be better served by ??? Democracy isn't perfect, but it's the most perfect. And those politicians would change their behavior if the citizens exercised their rights as good citizens should. So, the people of a location either get what they want if they participate or what they deserve if they don't. Still, Barcelona's fate is Barcelona's to decide, and their democracy at its worst is going to be better than the judgment of some tourist from Hoboken, NJ.