Protest wave in Mallorca: Locals fight against mass tourism!

Protest wave in Mallorca: Locals fight against mass tourism!

On June 15, 2025, numerous people gathered on the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca to protest the negative effects of mass tourism. The demonstration was organized by the "Menys Turisme, Més Vida" ("Less tourism, more life"), in which numerous organizations and groups participated. According to Kleine Zeitung called for clear measures such as the number of visitor numbers, a cruise moratorium Tourist rental.

Pujol expressed sharp criticism of the regional government, which after a major protest in July 2024 did not take any effective measures to contain mass tourism. He described the debates about sustainability as failed and pointed out that the number of visitors in the Balearic Islands increased continuously. In 2024, Mallorca received around 13.5 million tourists, despite a population of less than one million.

growing dissatisfaction

dissatisfaction among the locals grows, both in Mallorca and in other Spanish cities, such as Zeit . Around 8,000 people demonstrated in Palma, while smaller protests also took place in Barcelona, ​​Ibiza, Lanzarote and other cities. The demonstrators express their concern about the social effects of tourism, including rising rents, overloaded infrastructure and garbage problems.

The focus is in particular on the topics of water shortages and the overload of local resources. Pujol and other representatives of the protest movement require an introduction of upper limits for tourists, an increase in tourist taxes and a regulation of short -term rentals. It is also pointed out to 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 tourists themselves, but also for the local population. The housing market in Mallorca is overheated, while hotel employees often have difficulty finding affordable living space. As the Süddeutsche Zeitung reports, many employees live in camping mobile or commute long distances for their work. The pressure on local services can also be seen in vacant areas in supermarkets and hospitals.

The problem is tightened by the steady increase in tourist numbers. In 2024, tourists spent a total of 22.4 billion euros on the Balearic Islands, which represents an increase of around 12 percent compared to the previous year. Tarragona, an important point of tourism, recorded over 90 million foreign tourists in 2024, with the expectation, to reach over 20 million visitors in the Balearic Islands for the first time in 2025.

The combination of overcrowding and increasing living costs means that more and more voices are being loud that demands a change in dealing with tourism. The future of tourism in Spain is on the brink, and many are wondering how a balance between economic interests and the quality of life of the locals can be found.