Majora’s residents have vented their anger over surging house prices for locals ahead of a fresh wave of anti-tourism protests in the British expat hotspot. In a new video posted by The Banc del Temps de Sencelles, locals can be seen marching through Majorca’s old town holding ‘For Sale’ signs.
They can be heard saying: “Over a year ago we shouted ‘Majorca is not for sale. We weren’t alone’, but it hasn’t changed anything. In fact, things have gotten worse. Prices don’t stop going up. No one is doing anything to save us. We don’t want anyone else to be forced to move. We can’t accept this. We repeat…enough is enough! If not, in the end no one will be left.” Majorca, and much of the rest of Spain, is gripped by a housing crisis.
Anti-tourism activists have blamed tourists, expats, and foreign buyers with significant purchasing power as demand surges.
This has led to rapidly rising prices which they claim are pricing out locals.
In The Banc del Temps de Sencelles new clip, locals shared their individual experiences of being pushed out as anger towards foreigners mounts.
One mother said: “In my son’s class, three families have already moved to the mainland.”
Another resident chipped in: “The only thing I can do is watch and wait. Wait until it gets me too.”
Last month, a leading real estate agent warned that the largest and most popular Balearic island is now even too expensive for the rich.
Hans Lenz of Engel & Völkers, and president of the ABINI association of national and international real-estate agents, said: “Majorca is now too expensive for the rich in the north (of Europe).
It comes ahead of a fresh wave of fresh protests against the housing crisis and mass tourism, set to take place in April. Majorca is one of the four islands making ups the Balearics – with the others being Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.
Activists from the Menys Turisme, Més Vida (less tourism, more life) movement are also planning more demonstrations this year.