Wave of protests in Mallorca: Locals fight against mass tourism!

Wave of protests in Mallorca: Locals fight against mass tourism!

On June 15, 2025, numerous people gathered on the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca to protest against the negative effects of mass tourism. The demonstration was organized by the umbrella initiative“Menys turisme, més vida”(“Less tourism, more life”) was organized, in which numerous organizations and groups took part. Loud Small newspaper spokesman Jaume Pujol called for clear measures such as limiting the number of visitors, a cruise moratorium and an end to tourist rentals.

Pujol expressed sharp criticism of the regional government for failing to take effective measures to curb mass tourism after a large protest in July 2024. He described the debates about sustainability as having failed and pointed out that the number of visitors to the Balearic Islands is continuously increasing. In 2024, Mallorca received around 13.5 million tourists, despite a population of less than a million.

Growing dissatisfaction

Dissatisfaction among locals is growing, both in Mallorca and in other Spanish cities Time reported. Around 8,000 people demonstrated in Palma, while smaller protests also took place in Barcelona, ​​Ibiza, Lanzarote and other cities. The demonstrators expressed their concerns about the social impacts of tourism, including rising rents, overburdened infrastructure and waste problems.

The focus is particularly on the issues of water shortages and the overburdening of local resources. Pujol and other representatives of the protest movement are calling for the introduction of caps on tourists, an increase in tourist taxes and regulation of short-term rentals. It also highlights the fact that Airbnb recently removed thousands of illegal offers from its platform.

The price pressure in the housing market

The negative effects of mass tourism are not only noticeable for the tourists themselves, but also for the local population. Mallorca's housing market is overheated, while hotel workers often struggle to find affordable housing. As the South German newspaper reports, many employees live in mobile homes or commute long distances for their work. The pressure on local services is also reflected in unfilled positions in supermarkets and hospitality.

The problem is exacerbated by the constant increase in the number of tourists. In 2024, tourists spent a total of 22.4 billion euros in the Balearic Islands, an increase of around 12 percent compared to the previous year. Tarragona, a key point of tourism, recorded over 90 million foreign tourists in 2024, with the expectation of reaching over 20 million visitors to the Balearic Islands alone for the first time in 2025.

The combination of overcrowding and rising costs of living means that more and more voices are being heard calling for a change in the way tourism is handled. The future of tourism in Spain is hanging in the balance, and many are wondering how to find a balance between economic interests and the quality of life of locals.