The official signage in Barcelona encourages everyone to enjoy the city, but graffiti dotted around spain’s second biggest city has a different message aimed squarely at visitors.
In English, it says: “Tourists go home.”
It’s a sentiment that sums up the summer for thousands of Spanish locals who have had enough of the visitors swamping their towns.
From the mainland to the idyllic islands of the Spanish coast, mass protests have broken out against what locals call “mass tourism”.
They say the huge number of summer holiday-makers are overwhelming their neighbourhoods, pushing up the price of housing and forcing them out.
In Barcelona,humble water pistol has become a symbol of their resistance and images from some rallies,of locals spraying tourists,have gone viral.
But the crowds keep coming.
Demonstrators use water pistols during a protest against mass tourism in Barcelona in June. (Reuters: Bruna Casas)
A man wears a shirt reading ‘tourist go home’ during protests in Barcelona. (Reuters: Eva Manez)
Spain is expecting a record 100 million international travellers this year, which puts it on track to overtake France as the world’s most visited country.
Foreign Correspondent went to some of spain’s tourism hotspots to meet the locals who say their home is being loved to death.
‘We are being forgotten’
Tourism is a big economic driver for Spain. It’s the country’s main source of income and employs 3 million people.
But those who make a living from tourism have told Foreign Correspondent that tourism can make it hard to live.
Alicia Bocuñano,a taxi driver on Spain’s famous party island Ibiza,says despite working 12-hour shifts sometiems seven days a week she’s struggled to find housing.
“Everything you are seeing, all these buildings and all these apartments, are for tourists,” alicia explains as we drive around her island home.
Ibiza is experiencing a profound housing shortage, exacerbated by a post pandemic tourism boom and a growing number of apartments being converted to holiday lets, such as Airbnb listings.
Many locals now say they are priced out.
Barcelona’s Battle with Holiday Rentals: A Fight to Keep locals Home
“If they raise the rent, aside from not being able to afford it, I won’t just have to leave my neighbourhood, which means taking my child out of his school, but I’ll have to leave Barcelona entirely.” This fear is echoed by many Barcelonans as the city grapples with a severe housing shortage.
To address the crisis, Barcelona City council has announced a controversial plan to ban all short-term holiday apartments by 2028, aiming to free up 10,000 homes for local residents.
“We believe we have to try to do several measures in order to improve the [availability of] housing,” Deputy Mayor Jordi Valls explained. “First production, then more land, incentivise the private sector to invest in social housing and affordable housing, and the other is banning tourist apartments.”
the council argues controlling the supply of tourist accommodation is the key to managing the overwhelming demand from visitors. “Tourists are welcome in the city but the tourists have to understand we have to manage this situation … and the only way to control the tourists is to control the offer, as probably the demand is unstoppable.”
however,the plan has sparked backlash. some apartment owners are launching legal challenges,claiming unfair targeting. Airbnb, labelled a “scapegoat” by the city council, defends its role.
“barcelona has made short-term rentals and Airbnb, I believe a very convenient excuse for some of the problems that they have in the city,” says Jaime Rodríguez de Santiago, Airbnb’s director general for Spain. “The reality, if you look at the numbers, is that eight out of 10 tourists in Barcelona don’t stay… “Ibiza’s sea grass meadows are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.(Foreign correspondent: Tyler freeman Smith)
“I think we’re very lucky we’ve got stunning beaches, coves, cliffs, beautiful seaside and it is indeed very forested,” she said.”[But] it’s so very crowded and there is a steady deterioration of natural places.
“In the busiest days of the summer, we more than double the population of the island in one single day and that is many, many days consecutive.”
A big concern for Laura is the growing number of yachts dropping anchor along the coast, damaging marine life in Ibiza’s crystal-clear waters.
Few realize just below the surface is one of the largest meadows of the sea grass posidonia in the world, which is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“When they pull out the anchor they pull the sea grass with it,so we are finding that it’s dying off in many places as of this. it’s not replacing itself fast enough,” Laura said.
She still thinks tourism is good for Ibiza’s economy but believes there should be limits.
Yachts at anchor off the coast of Ibiza, Spain. (Foreign Correspondent: Tyler Freeman smith)
“We are not against tourism, we recognize it as an vital
Barcelona Residents Seek Respectful Tourism: Language, local Spending Key
Barcelona is grappling with the challenges of “toxic tourism,” with residents expressing frustration over overcrowding and a lack of respect from some visitors. While acknowledging the economic benefits of tourism, locals are urging tourists to be more mindful and contribute positively to the city’s culture and economy.
Aleix Fors Laguna, a Barcelona e-bike tour guide, emphasizes the importance of tourists making an effort to connect with the local culture.”First, learn a bit of spanish and Catalan so that we certainly know we are interested in our language, and second, buy in local places,” he said, as reported by the ABC News.
However, Fors Laguna believes the primary duty for managing tourism lies with politicians. He doesn’t blame tourists themselves, but rather the lack of effective policies to regulate visitor flow.
Despite this, he stresses that tourists can actively contribute to a more positive experience for both themselves and residents. he understands the frustration felt by locals, stating, “We are not your playground, we are a city like yours. A city with workers, with people enjoying their time off, and it of course gets difficult if there are so many people.” He adds, “but we have plenty of culture to share with you and we are pleased to do that. Provided that you’re willing to respect it.”
The concerns in Barcelona reflect a broader trend of cities worldwide struggling with the impacts of overtourism. In recent years, Barcelona has seen protests against mass tourism, with residents voicing concerns about rising rents, displacement, and the erosion of local culture. The Guardian reported on these protests, highlighting the growing tension between the economic benefits of tourism and the quality of life for residents.
While Fors Laguna condemns aggressive actions like spraying water pistols at tourists or telling them to “go home,” he acknowledges the underlying sentiment. The call for respectful tourism emphasizes a desire for a more sustainable and equitable relationship between visitors and the communities they visit.
For those interested in learning more,the ABC’s Foreign Correspondent program recently featured a report on Spain’s “toxic Tourism,” available on ABC TV and ABC iview.