Thousands of residents in Spain’s Balearic Islands took to the streets to protest against the impact of mass tourism and rising housing costs, calling for measures to protect local property and regulate holiday accommodations.
Thousands of residents in Spain’s Balearic Islands protested on May 25, 2024, against the impact of mass tourism and rising housing costs. Around 10,000 demonstrators marched through Palma de Mallorca, the capital of Mallorca, displaying banners with slogans such as “Mallorca is not for sale” and “SOS Residents.” Smaller protests also took place in Menorca and Ibiza, with around 1,000 protesters staging a demonstration in Ibiza the previous day.
Protest organizers like Carme Reines called for measures to restrict property purchases by non-residents and to regulate holiday accommodations. Real estate agent Javier Carbonell highlighted that more than 50% of rental properties are used for tourist rentals, making them unaffordable for locals.
Tourism constitutes 45% of the Islands’ GDP, attracting around 14.4 million visitors last year, making it the second most popular tourism region in Spain after Catalonia. Demonstrators argued that the influx of tourists has increased property prices, traffic congestion, and the overall cost of living. The protests follow a recent housing crisis where foreign investments have increasingly turned family homes into tourist rentals, exacerbating the affordability issue for locals.
In a related incident, a restaurant collapse in Palma de Mallorca on May 23, 2024, resulted in four fatalities, including two German tourists, a Spanish waitress, and a Senegalese man. Police suggested the collapse was likely due to excessive weight on the terrace. The incident also left 16 Dutch tourists injured.