Spain's summer of misery for holidaymakers as protesters vow to step up anti-tourist campaign
17 March 2025, 10:22 | Updated: 17 March 2025, 10:37
Anti-tourism activists have vowed to escalate their campaign against holidaymakers in Spain this summer - with plans to block popular tourist destinations and set fire to rental cars.
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Last summer, mass-protests took place in the Balearic and Canary Islands, as well as in the mainland cities of Barcelona and Málaga.
In the Catalan capital, water guns were fired at diners at outdoor restaurants, guests were also stopped from leaving hotels as protesters taped up their exists and started chanting abuse.
This year, the escalation in protests comes ahead of an international summit where activists from Spain and other European countries will discuss and strategise their tactics.
The rising resentment towards mass tourism was evident last month in Ibiza, where a key viewing point, Es Vedra, was dramatically blocked off with boulders.
The famous spot, where thousands of tourists typically gather to watch the sunset, has now been declared off-limits by frustrated landowners who have had enough of the overwhelming crowds.
A sign now reads: "Private Property. Restricted Access."
Anti-tourist protesters squirt dining tourists with water pistols in Barcelona
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The incident in Ibiza, though a visible sign of growing tensions, pales in comparison to the violent protests that erupted last week in Tenerife.
Activists reportedly torched and vandalized a fleet of rental cars in a shocking act of protest.
Disturbing footage circulating online shows masked individuals setting fire to around 20 hire cars in the popular Costa Adeje resort, a hotspot for British tourists.
Local anger has been fueled by the soaring cost of living, with many residents blaming tourists for driving up rents and pushing locals out of their homes.
Some protesters have even vowed to escalate their actions by targeting airports, further intensifying their opposition to mass tourism.
The anti-tourism movement is gaining traction across southern Europe, with at least 15 activist groups from Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France planning to meet in Barcelona next month.
The summit will serve as a platform for the groups to coordinate their efforts and plot further disruptions in popular holiday destinations.
As the summer season approaches, both tourists and authorities are bracing for potential unrest.
Last year, 15,000 anti-tourism activists protested in the streets of Majorca, expressing anger over the spike in property prices on the Balearic island over the last decade.
There were chants of “tourists go home” by the activists, who were holding banners with the message “Salvem Mallorca, guiris arruix” which in Catalan Spanish means “let's save Majorca, foreigners out”.
Another banner translated to: “Wherever you look, they're all guiris.”
“Guiri” is a colloquial term used to describe holidaymakers who are renowned for heavy drinking, often in an offensive manner.
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