Overview

• Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets on June 15 in Barcelona, Palma, Venice and Lisbon to protest mass tourism’s impact on housing and local life.
• Campaigners used water pistols to target tourists and amplify grievances over soaring rents and environmental strain.
• Travel companies including Jet2holidays and Hays Travel have reported a noticeable drop in holiday bookings to Spain and Majorca.
• In response to public pressure, Spain has removed 66,000 illegal holiday rentals and Barcelona announced plans to phase out 10,000 short-term let licences by 2028.
• Tourism, which contributes roughly 12 percent of Spain’s GDP, faces new limits as authorities seek sustainable balance between economic benefits and resident welfare.