Thousands of protesters took to the streets in major southern European cities over the weekend, wielding squirt guns and rolling suitcases to voice their opposition to mass tourism, citing rising housing costs and environmental concerns as prime motivators. Events unfolded in cities such as Barcelona, Genoa, and Lisbon, with demonstrators drawn together by the Southern Europe Network Against Touristification.
Activists Unite in Southern Europe Against the Impacts of Mass Tourism
Activists Unite in Southern Europe Against the Impacts of Mass Tourism
Protests across Italy, Portugal, and Spain have highlighted the detrimental effects of mass tourism on local communities and environments.
In a notable weekend of activism, demonstrators in southern Europe expressed their discontent with mass tourism's pervasive impact. In Barcelona, activists wielded water pistols at luxury locales, while in Genoa, they performed a “noisy stroll” with rolling suitcases to symbolize their frustrations. Portuguese demonstrators highlighted their concerns by carrying an effigy of the city’s patron saint to a proposed site for a five-star hotel in Lisbon. In Majorca, locals protested against overcrowding by halting a tourist bus and displaying a banner.
The protests marked an escalation in efforts to address what many see as the intrusive nature of mass tourism, which they argue drives up living costs and degrades the local environment. Participants voiced sentiments that the tourist demographic, often affluent, exacerbates financial strain on residents by driving housing prices out of reach.
Joan Mas, a 31-year-old waiter in Barcelona, articulated the feeling of many locals, stating, “The general perception is that these people have way more money than we do — they come here to party, to rent places we can’t afford on our wages.” The protests are part of a broader movement advocating for change in tourism practices and raising awareness about its effects on everyday life in tourist-heavy cities.
The protests marked an escalation in efforts to address what many see as the intrusive nature of mass tourism, which they argue drives up living costs and degrades the local environment. Participants voiced sentiments that the tourist demographic, often affluent, exacerbates financial strain on residents by driving housing prices out of reach.
Joan Mas, a 31-year-old waiter in Barcelona, articulated the feeling of many locals, stating, “The general perception is that these people have way more money than we do — they come here to party, to rent places we can’t afford on our wages.” The protests are part of a broader movement advocating for change in tourism practices and raising awareness about its effects on everyday life in tourist-heavy cities.
