Majorca and Tenerife, two islands in Spain, have become the epicentre of the anti-tourism campaign, as residents express frustration over the effects of mass tourism in the country in 2025. They are driven by ever-increasing house prices, environmental pressure and overpopulation of public amenities as they seek to curb visitor levels and work towards an alternative sustainable form of tourism. The uprising is likely to disrupt the 2025 summer vacation season, as most people are going on holiday in Spain.
Origin of the Protests
The anti-tourism trend took another step in the year 2024, through demonstrations throughout the Balearic and Canary Islands. In Majorca, marches were held in Palma with 4,000 protesters, carrying slogans such as “Enough Mass tourism” and “SOS residents,” which highlights the impact of tourism on the cost of living. In Tenerife, a protest with the slogan “Canarias tiene un límite” (The Canaries have their limit) drew up to 50,000 people.
They marched against uncontrolled tourist flows, which reached 9.9 million in the Canary Islands between January and September 2024, marking a 10.3 per cent increase from 2023. Locals point to a housing crisis, since rents in the Balearics have risen from €562 to a record high of €1,451 in a decade, much triggered by short-term rentals such as Airbnb.
On The Rise Of Actions and Tensions
Protests are becoming increasingly bold in 2025. In Majorca, M es vida (Less tourism, more life) activists blocked a sightseeing tour in Palma in June, using smoke flares and banners saying, “Stop Touristification.” On Tenerife, vandalism of rental cars and worksites involved with tourism developments has been trending, with the activists saying that their peaceful methods had been depleted.
Graffiti saying, tourists go home and signs falsely saying that beaches are closed have been appearing, which indicates a high level of discontent in both islands. Most of the protests have been peaceful, yet there have been incidents whereby tourists have been the target of water pistols in Barcelona, which raises concerns over whether riots towards tourists will increase.
Economic and Social Impact
Tourism contributes once in 13 to the Spanish GDP and 30 per cent of economic activity in the Canary Islands, thus it is an essential yet debatable industry. Although citizens believe that tourism provides disproportionate benefits, as low-paid tourism jobs cannot compensate for high prices on rent and resource depletion.
In Majorca, 1,000 residents are living in cars as a result of unattainable housing, and in Tenerife, a third of the population is at risk of poverty. The backlash is also due to environmental issues such as sewage pollution and water shortages. Hotel reservations in Tenerife have declined by 8 per cent and Majadran excursion sales by 20 per cent, as some of its British tourists now feel unwelcome, with tourist hardliners having engaged in high-risk behaviour to promote their racist policies.
Government and Industrial Responses
Cities are combating overtourism with local actions. Palma, the island capital, plans to eliminate 1,644 sunbeds on beaches by the year 2026 to ease overcrowding and beach erosion. Tenerife has already established limits on visitors to natural parks, and Barcelona is set to prohibit short-term rentals by 2028.
The government of the Balearics has also restricted illegal rentals and approved 700 housing projects to mitigate the crisis. However, activists argue that these measures are insufficient, and organisations like Canarias se Agota are urging the implementation of a tourist tax to halt the construction of new hotels.
Looking Ahead
With Spain on track to welcome 115 million visitors by 2040, the anti-tourism movement appears to be gaining momentum. In February 2025, at an assembly in Majorca by Menys Turisme, M es Vida indicated that the group would organise more summer protests, which have the potential to derail travellers to Majorca, Tenerife and the rest of the world.
The tourists are encouraged to exercise caution by staying informed since the protests can occur in airports, beaches, and the city centres. Though economic growth can be attributed to the tourism boom in Spain, the development of harmony is an essential endeavour. How can Majorca and Tenerife rebrand their tourism model to focus on the residents, avoiding losses of visitors? The response will determine Spain’s position as a global travel destination.