It goes without saying that tourism can be controversial, and is a double-edged sword for regions that are popular with visitors. While tourism can do a lot to support local economies, over time it can also take away from the way of life for locals, and change economics. Along those lines, this past weekend we saw some major protests against tourists across Europe, in particular in Spain.
Protestors demonstrate against mass tourism
On Sunday, June 15, 2025, residents in Spain and several other European countries held large scale protests against mass tourism, as residents are frustrated by increasing housing costs that are pushing out locals.
The biggest protests happened in Spain, in particular in Mallorca and Barcelona. This weekend’s event was the first coordinated effort by activists to protest over tourism across Europe. There were also protests in Lisbon, Portugal, and Venice, Italy, among other places. Thousands of protestors marched, held up signs, and sprayed tourists with water pistols.
For what it’s worth, this isn’t the first time that we’ve seen such protests. There were similar protests last year, but they weren’t as well organized, and weren’t as widespread.
What should tourists make of these protests?
Should visitors avoid destinations where locals have a strong anti-tourist sentiment? I’m not sure there’s an easy answer, though I’ll still share my take. Look, mass tourism has no doubt become a big issue in many places.
I’m not one of those people who thinks “how dare the locals not be grateful for my tourist dollars,” while walking off a cruise ship. Then you have the whole group of people who don’t identify as tourists, and who show in July in Greece, complaining how crowded it is with all those other people.
I think the whole thing is a bit more nuanced than that. I don’t think we’re entitled to being welcomed with open arms in Hawaii, Venice, etc., and to tell locals how they should feel about us, even if tourism is how many people support their families.
With that in mind, a few thoughts:
- Just about any major source of revenue for a region’s economy is going to have pros and cons; that’s not exclusive to tourism, as the same is true for manufacturing, a city becoming a tech hub, etc.
- I would assume that the sentiment regarding over tourism is similar in most major destinations that have mass tourism; like, Japanese people might be too polite to spray us with water guns, but I’m sure many people there feel the same
- I can appreciate the challenges that tourism poses for many locals, and I think these kinds of protests can help get a dialogue going between the government and these groups, to provide relief with some pain points; there are things the government can do to make tourism more palatable and beneficial for locals
- As a visitor, it’s uncomfortable to go somewhere and be shot with a water pistol, though at least these protests aren’t violent in a meaningful way
Personally I can’t say that something like this would impact my decision to travel somewhere. That’s simply because I realize that in most places dealing with mass tourism, the sentiment is probably the same. Some people are greatly in favor of it, others are strongly against it, and others are somewhere in the middle.
I’d almost view this similarly to a labor group going on strike in the airline or hotel industry. Ultimately they’re not meaning to inconvenience customers, but rather it’s the best bargaining technique they have to try to get what they’re hoping for.
There’s no denying that governments need to look out for locals, and make sure they’re happy, even if that comes at the expense of some amount of tourism. Personally, I’ve also kind of given up on traveling to Europe in the peak of summer, because I just don’t enjoy the size of the crowds. But that’s just me…
Bottom line
While frustration with mass tourism has become an increasingly big issue, some groups across Europe (and in particular, in Spain) are expressing their displeasure a bit more directly at the moment. This past weekend, we’ve seen huge protests, some with thousands of people, telling tourists to go home, and shooting them with water pistols.
Mass tourism is complicated, and as much as tourism is good for the overall economy of a place, that money isn’t always distributed fairly, and it can also impact the day-to-day life of locals negatively. I completely understand the plight, and this is certainly one way to get the attention of the government.
What do you make of these kinds of anti-tourism protests?
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