"Stop Coming Now"... Spain Protests Against Tourists by Shooting Water Guns

Rising Rent and Prices, Environmental Pollution Too
Barcelona Prepares Measures Including Cruise Tourism Tax Increase

In Spain, where the peak summer vacation season has begun, protests against tourists have been ongoing for several weeks. This is because everyday inconveniences experienced by residents, such as soaring prices and environmental pollution caused by 'over tourism,' are becoming increasingly severe.

On the 21st (local time), foreign media including the British BBC reported that protests against over tourism have continued in major Spanish tourist destinations such as Barcelona, Mallorca Island, Malaga, and the Canary Islands during the past few weeks since the start of the summer vacation season.

On the 13th (local time), citizens of Alicante, Spain, protesting against overtourism
[Photo by Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 6th, thousands gathered in downtown Barcelona to protest, saying the city is dying because of tourism. Protesters sprayed water guns at tourists seated in famous restaurants while shouting, "Tourists, go home." They then held a street march and even put up tape marking restricted areas on the terraces of restaurants popular with tourists.

On the 13th, residents of Alicante held signs reading "Alicante, not for sale" and "Tourists, respect our neighborhood" during a protest. A protest is scheduled for the evening of the 21st in Palma de Mallorca on Mallorca Island.

BBC reported, "The beaches of Mallorca Island are packed with tourists with no room to step, and finding parking spaces is extremely difficult," adding, "The sound of payment notifications is continuous in shops and restaurants." However, despite the surge in tourists, locals do not reap economic benefits but rather face increased inconveniences, leading to the spread of protests. Participants in the protests expressed grievances about soaring prices in major tourist areas, damage to local identity, and severe environmental pollution. Sonia (31), a local resident, said, "I decided to separate from my partner, but I still live in the same house because I cannot afford the rent," and stated her intention to join the over tourism protests.

On the 5th (local time), the beach in Valencia, Spain, was crowded with tourists.
[Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

Barcelona recently decided to ban short-term apartment rentals to tourists and plans to increase taxes imposed on cruise ship tourists. More than 23 million tourists visit Barcelona annually. Because of this, the entire city suffers from noise such as the sound of tourists dragging suitcases, garbage, traffic congestion, and invasion of residents' privacy.

Jaume Collboni, mayor of Barcelona, said in an interview with local media, "We will propose significantly raising the tax imposed on cruise transit tourists (those staying less than 12 hours)," pointing out, "They bring no benefits to our city but use public spaces extensively." Currently, the tourist tax imposed on cruise passengers in Barcelona is 7 euros (about 10,000 won) per day.

Earlier last month, Barcelona announced its plan to become an 'Airbnb Clean City' by eliminating all Airbnb apartments by 2029. This decision was made to alleviate the problem of local residents lacking living space due to homeowners renting out their homes to the influx of tourists.

Not only in Spain but also municipalities worldwide with famous tourist spots are rushing to devise countermeasures against over tourism. Venice, Italy, has been charging a city entrance fee (5.5 euros) to day-trippers since the beginning of this year. As the over tourism problem has not been resolved despite this system, Venice is considering doubling the city entrance fee.

Also, Bali, Indonesia, has been charging a tourist tax to foreign tourists since February. Prague in the Czech Republic, Hallstatt in Austria, and Paris in France are already collecting tourist taxes. Additionally, Jongno-gu in Seoul has designated Bukchon Hanok Village as a 'special management area' and plans to restrict tourist access after 5 p.m. starting next March.