Thousands take to streets in Spain to protest against mass tourism
Protests in Barcelona against mass tourism
A large number of protesters gathered on the streets of Barcelona on Saturday (Jul 6) to protest against mass tourism in Barcelona.
Over 150 organizations and thousands of people took to the streets to stage demonstrations against the increase in the cost of living for locals due to the large inflow of tourists.
People held posters which read, "Tourists go home" and "Barcelona is not for sale". As a way of expressing their dissent with the tourists, the protestors taped off certain restaurants and establishments. Several pictures and videos were circulated online, which showed people using water guns to squirt water and chanting "Go home!".
What was the reason behind the protest?
Barcelona is a popular tourist destination, and millions of people from around the globe visit it for its Mediterranean climate and culture. According to data from the Barcelona Tourism Observatory, the city welcomed 15.6 million tourists, and the region saw 26 million tourists in 2023.
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This large influx of tourists each year has made the lives of locals quite difficult. The citizens of Barcelona have to bear the brunt of an increased cost of living due to this.
The rent in Barcelona and other popular tourist destinations like Madrid increased by 18% in June compared to previous years, according to news agency Reuters.
"Tourist-heavy venues like restaurants and hotels make good money from tourists, but some locals are in a very poor situation and they don't have enough money to live. That's a problem," a protestor told Reuters.
The course of action taken to address the issue
Several cities like Venice (in Italy) and Barcelona (in Spain) are currently dealing with the problem of overtourism.
In an attempt to reduce the influx of tourists coming to Barcelona, the city increased its tourist tax in April. "More supply of housing is needed, and the measures we're presenting today are to provide more supply so that the working middle class does not have to leave the city because they can't afford housing," Jaume Collboni, Barcelona's Mayor said.
(With inputs from agencies)