British tourists are facing another major protest in a holiday hotspot where millions flock every year.
A tenant support organisation in the city of Malaga, in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, announced they are planning a demonstration to voice locals’ anger at the issues stemming from overtourism.
The association, the Malaga Tenants Union (Sindicato de Inquilinas de Málaga), called for a “great protest” demanding decent housing and an end to the “touristification” of the city to be held on June 29.
The social media message read: “Malaga has become an unlivable city for those of us who live in it. IT’S OVER! WE WANT A MALAGA TO LIVE AND NOT TO SURVIVE…
“Beyond impotent nostalgia, it is essential to rebuild neighbourhood networks, the relationships of care that sustain at risk people. THIS WAS A NEIGHBOURHOOD BEFORE, and it will be again!”
The message also clearly stated what will be the focus of the protest, as it read: “The problem is well known: touristification and plundering of the territory, exploitation of housing, work and life. S**t salaries, s**t cohabitation and s**t rents. We are clear: IF I CAN’T PAY I WILL NOT PAY!
“We know that there are many of us who are fed up and determined to defend a friendly, livable city, THE CITY OF THE NEIGHBOURS!”
Similarly to the tens of thousands of people who on April 20 took their anger to the street across the Canary Islands, this association linked the “impoverishment of life” to overtourism.
Much like Malaga and its province, the Canary Islands are destinations chosen by millions of UK nationals every years.
While locals acknowledge tourism plays an important role in the economy of these areas, they are asking for the industry model to change and for their cities not to be turned into areas catering entirely for tourists.
As in Malaga, locals in Tenerife are frustrated by the lack of affordable housing, with many homes being turned into tourism rentals and space being eaten up by tourism giants building more hotels to accommodate an even bigger number of holidaymakers.
Many residents across the Canary Islands – but also in Madrid and Barcelona – fear they are being priced out of their homes and their cities, as prices not just for rents and mortgages but also for everyday expenses are pushed up by large demand created by the tourism industry and higher purchasing power of holidaymakers.
