Anti-tourism protesters have taken to the streets of several Spanish tourist destinations in their thousands, demanding British holidaymakers "go home" in widespread action against overtourism.
The dramatic demonstrations in Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza on Sunday afternoon left tourists visibly stunned as locals banged drums and chanted slogans.
Activists claim more than 30,000 people took to the streets in Mallorca alone, with the protest beginning at Plaza de España shortly after 6pm.
Similar demonstrations occurred across major Spanish destinations, including Barcelona, Menorca, San Sebastian, Granada, Tenerife and Malaga, as well as in hotspots outside the country, including Venice and Lisbon.
Thousands of demonstrators marched through Spanish tourist destinations yesterday, demanding British holidaymakers "go home" in widespread protests against overtourism
REUTERS
The coordinated action, organised by the Southern Europe Network Against Touristification, focused on alerting the public to the social and environmental costs of mass tourism.
Protesters carried placards reading "Mallorca is not for sale", "Mallorca is not your cash cow, go home" and "Your vacations, our anxiety".
Photos also show water-gun-wielding locals participating in the march, planning to spray passing holidaymakers.
Footage captured British tourists taking refuge on accommodation balconies whilst teenagers chanted "tourists go home" throughout the city.
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Photos also show locals participating in the march wielding water pistols, planning to spray passing holidaymakers
REUTERS
Demonstrators targeted Airbnb and "guiris" - Spanish slang for British and other foreign visitors.
Signs declaring "Rich foreign property buyers go to hell" and "Enough is enough" were visible throughout the march.
The protesters travelled over a kilometre before gathering at Plaza de Reina near the seafront, where activists delivered speeches demanding drastic changes to tourism laws, including banning Airbnb-style properties.
Armed National Police officers escorted the demonstrators.
Locals believe the current tourism model has become unsustainable, with visitor numbers increasing annually and straining resources
REUTERS
Locals believe the current tourism model has become unsustainable, with visitor numbers increasing annually and straining resources.
They cite environmental pollution, particularly in Tenerife, where natural landscapes lack proper protection and marine environments suffer from pleasure boat traffic and sewage waste.
The explosion of short-term rental properties has caused property prices to surge over the past decade.
Landlords increasingly favour tourist rentals over local families, stripping housing supply and making remaining stock unaffordable.
Protesters demand limits on tourist numbers, bans on new hotel construction and tougher tourist taxes.
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