Anti-tourism activists march in Spain's Mallorca

Protesters demand end to mass tourism and housing speculation

PALMA, SPAIN:

Thousands of anti-tourism activists took to the streets of Palma de Mallorca on Sunday, marking the latest demonstration against a vital industry for Spain.

Protesters carried makeshift models of planes and cruise ships, parading through the capital of Mallorca with signs reading 'no to mass tourism' and 'stop private jets.' This protest follows a series of similar demonstrations this year in Barcelona, Malaga, the Canary Islands, and other popular tourist destinations. Activists argue that tourism drives up housing costs, making it difficult for locals to afford living in city centres.

Police estimated that around 10,000 protesters participated in the Mallorca demonstration. The response from tourists was mixed; some supported the march, while others appeared uncomfortable.

Pere Joan Femenia, a representative of Menys Turisme, Mas Vida (Less Tourism, More Life), the organisation behind Sunday's protest, emphasised the need for fewer tourists on the island. "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," he said. "We want to cut mass tourism and to ban non-residents from buying houses which are just used for a few months a year or for speculation."

The Balearic Islands, which include Mallorca, were the second most popular tourist region in Spain last year, attracting 14.4 million visitors, according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute.

Tourism accounts for 45 per cent of the Balearic Islands' gross domestic product, as reported by Exceltur, an industry organisation.

In the first quarter of this year, Spain welcomed 16.1 million tourists, an 18% increase compared to the same period last year. Visitors spent 109 billion euros ($118.56 billion) in Spain last year, compared to 63.5 billion euros in France.