A coordinated wave of anti-tourism protests swept through Spain, Portugal and Italy on 15 June, reigniting tensions over mass tourism in Europe’s most visited cities.
From Barcelona to Lisbon and Naples, demonstrators blocked hotel entrances, lit flares, set off smoke bombs, and drenched tourists with water guns.
“Tourists go home,” they shouted – a slogan that’s also appeared in graffiti across major European cities.
The demonstrations, organised by local groups such as Barcelona’s Neighbourhoods Assembly for Tourism Degrowth and SET Alliance (Southern Europe Against Overtourism), reflect growing discontent over tourism’s impact on housing, urban life and the cost of living.
Why are locals so angry?
Activists say unchecked tourism is pushing residents out of city centres, driving up rents and overwhelming local infrastructure. Barcelona alone received 26 million visitors last year, with a third of its residents calling tourism “damaging” in a recent survey.
Daniel Pardo Rivacoba, spokesperson for Barcelona’s Neighbourhoods Assembly, stated: “When they (officials) say that we have to specialise in tourism, they are basically telling us that you have to get poorer so that other people can get richer.”
Governments are starting to respond. The Balearic Islands have rolled out “containment measures” including higher tourist taxes and rental restrictions. Barcelona plans to phase out all short-term lets by 2028.
Blame game: Hotels or holiday rentals?
As protesters flooded the streets, tensions flared within the tourism industry itself. Airbnb blamed traditional hotels for fuelling overtourism, citing Eurostat data showing hotels accounted for 63–80% of EU guest nights.
“Hotels are driving overtourism,” said Theo Yedinsky, Airbnb’s VP of public policy. CEO Brian Chesky added the company had become a “convenient scapegoat” and pointed to a 60% surge in Barcelona housing costs, despite fewer Airbnb listings.
Not so fast, said Tui. The travel giant accused short-term rentals of deepening housing shortages and cost-of-living woes. Its policy director, Alexander Panczuk, argued the issue lies in “unregulated secondary homes,” and that Tui’s hotels are largely outside the protest hotspots.
Will tourists feel the heat?
Several regions are braced for more action as protestors warn that “this is just the beginning”. Plans are already being floated for further protests at airports, beachfronts and city hubs – just as Europe hits its busiest travel season . Governments are considering caps on arrivals, levies on day‑trippers and stricter rental rules.
That could translate into disruption – closed quarters, surprise restrictions and hotspots being off‑limits at peak times. Tourists might find themselves steered away from city centres altogether or facing new entry fees.