For the second time this summer, protestors took to the streets of Mallorca, Spain, demanding limits on tourism. On July 21, around 10,000 people protested under the motto, “Let’s change course, let’s set limits to tourism.” Over 80 organizations participated, consisting of community groups, neighborhood associations, and more.
The protests are a result of Spain’s popularity, and a housing crisis associated with short-term rentals. Here are the details.
Spain: Too popular for its own good?
Spain is a travel favorite so far in 2024. According to the European Travel Commission, traveler spending is up 25%, and international air arrivals rose 12% compared to pre-pandemic levels. While that lets more people explore the country’s cultural bounty, it’s also produced a housing crunch driven by short-term rentals.
In Mallorca, short-term rentals have increased more than 100% since 2019, according to AirDNA, a company that monitors the market. In June 2019, there were around 9,500, while in June 2024, that figure increased to 20,900. That’s impacted local housing markets and made it more difficult for locals to acquire homes.
Reuters highlighted the issue, noting how one Mallorcan local lives in a caravan and showers in a sports bar due to skyrocketing rents. Over the last decades, rents rose 158% in Mallorca, the sharpest increase in the country.
At the protest, participants’ demands included an increase in affordable housing, preservation of natural spaces, respect for local culture, and an end to real estate speculation. The organization Menys Turisme, Mas Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) led Sunday’s protest, with its leader, Pere Joan Femenia, telling Reuters, “Mass tourism is making it difficult for local people who cannot afford to live on their own island because tourist flats push up prices. Tourists fill up beaches and put a strain on public services in the summer.”
