Anti-tourism protests by frustrated locals that have swept across Spain for the past couple of years appear to have finally had an effect, as businesses in popular holiday hotspots have reported decreased tourist activity, even in the height of summer. For the past two years, residents in cities such as Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and Alicante have voiced their frustrations – through demonstrations, graffiti and, more dramatically, water gun attacks on tourists – over the impact of overtourism, including rising housing costs and a decline in quality of life.
Now, this summer, it appears holidaymakers have finally received the message. Despite a strong national tourism performance overall, alarms have been raised in the hospitality sector in particular, with many businesses reporting lower-than-expected activity despite it being the peak season. In resort towns like Benidorm and Lloret de Mar, hospitality businesses have experienced quieter summers. Some bars, restaurants and other venues were even forced to close temporarily due to reduced foot traffic. Meanwhile, in Majorca, reports have indicated a sharp drop in restaurant sales, with some establishments reporting a decrease of up to 50% in May compared to previous years.
As a result, the Mallorca Hotel Business Federation introduced billboard campaigns, attempting to highlight the economic importance of tourism to the island as businesses struggled to maintain pre-pandemic tourism levels. The billboards, which the group said stood against “tourismphobia”, included slogans which read: “Tourist, go home happy. Be happier returning to Mallorca soon.” Another message reads: “Tourist, go home safe and come back soon.”
Data from HospitalityNet revealed a year-on-year drop in demand across key destinations during the summer months of July and August, according to Travel and Tour World. Barcelona saw a 7% drop, Palma de Mallorca recorded a 6% decrease, Granada experienced a 4% decline and Malaga reported a 3% fall in tourism activity. In Majorca, beach bars, parasol rentals and holiday activities saw a 20% decline in business in July compared to the same period in 2023.
The number of tourist arrivals from key European markets also showed a downward trend. Arrivals from the UK dropped by 2.2% in July, while those from Germany fell by 8.6%, reflecting tourists’ growing concerns about protests and local dissatisfaction.
“We miss the English, because the English spend money,” a member of staff at a bar in Magaluf told The Telegraph earlier this month. “Instead we have the German, the French, Portuguese, Italians,” he added. “The Italians, they don’t eat and drink. They come and share an espresso between four people.”
However, despite these setbacks, Spain’s vital tourism sector continues to perform well. The National Institute of Statistics reported a record-breaking July, with a staggering 11 million visitors and tourism spending for the year has exceeded €76 billion (£66 billion). This will come as a relief for those in charge of Spain’s finances, as its tourism industry is a crucial contributor to its economy, accounting for approximately 12% of its national GDP.
For Spain’s tourism industry, finding a balance between attracting visitors and addressing the concerns of local residents will be crucial moving forward. Some local authorities have already taken steps to mitigate the impact of the protests, which show no signs of slowing down, and to control the crowds.
For example, in Alicante, a midnight curfew was enforced earlier this year to help manage the increasing number of visitors. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, a ban on organised pub crawls was implemented in August to curb disruptive behaviours associated with large tourist groups.