Mallorca Locals Demand to 'Change Course' Amid Tourism Boom

22.07.2024 - 17:24 / skift.com / Dawit Habtemariam / Olivier Ponti

Over 20,000 protestors took to the streets of Palma de Mallorca to speak out against overtourism as Spain continues to emerge as one of the hottest destinations in Europe.

The protestors marched under the slogan “Let’s change course, let’s set limits to tourism.” More than 80 organizations, including neighborhood associations, community groups and activist organizations, marched with demands to limit mass tourism.

Demonstrators asked for more affordable housing, end of real estate speculation and gentrification, fair wages and better conservation of natural spaces and respect for local culture.

The recent demonstration eclipsed the previous one in June, which had over 10,000 protestors.

The protests are the latest to hit Spain. On July 6, nearly 3,000 protesters marched in Barcelona demanding limits to mass tourism. Protests have erupted in the Canary Islands, Menorca and Malaga.

On a recent Skift Take podcast led by Skift Advisory, we discussed the forces behind these latest protests. 

In Spain, the recent growth of short-term rentals have disrupted local property markets while foreign investment has limited the ability of locals to acquire a home in their own cities, said Aleix Rodríguez Brunsoms, director of strategy for Skift Advisory on Skift’s Travel Podcast.

“The overtourism crisis is essentially a housing crisis,” he said. He also noted overcrowding and business replacement.

But the protests have not reduced the popularity of the destinations this summer. International flights bookings for Barcelona are up 18% for July and August, according to ForwardKeys, a travel data analytics firm. In Menorca, they’re up 51%. Lanzarote (in Canary Islands) and Mallorca had gains of 10% and 6%.

Segon avís. Ja n’hi ha prou. #CanviemElRumb pic.twitter.com/SaFNFexNcn

“Recent protests in these locations have highlighted residents’ concerns, with calls to limit tourist numbers due to rising living costs and environmental strain, however, the data indicates that tourism growth has so far remained unaffected,” said Olivier Ponti, director of intelligence and marketing for ForwardKeys.

Spain has been one of the top destinations this year. International air arrivals and traveler spending in Spain are up 12% and 25% from pre-pandemic levels for the half of 2024, according to the European Travel Commission.

The UK has been a major growth market for Spain. Scheduled capacity for Spain rose 8% from last year, according to ForwardKeys. Low-cost carriers Ryanair, Jet2.com and Easy have added significantly more seats this year.