Thousands took to the streets in Barcelona and on the island of Mallorca on Sunday to protest against over-tourism, with many squirting water pistols at unsuspecting tourists. It was part of a demonstration calling for a reassessment of an economic model they argue is driving up housing costs and stripping their cities of their cultural identity.
Under the umbrella of the SET alliance – Sud d’Europa contra la Turistització, or Catalan for ‘Southern Europe against Overtourism’ – the coordinated protests were part of a broader campaign by activists concerned about the consequences of mass tourism in popular southern European destinations. Demonstrations also took place in Venice and Lisbon.
Barcelona attracts over 15 million tourists a year, many drawn to iconic sites such as Antoni Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia and the bustling La Rambla promenade.
In addition to the lack of affordable housing – which many residents attribute to the growing number of short-term tourist rentals in the city – they also claim that their traditional neighbourhood shops are being replaced with tourist-oriented businesses like souvenir stores and fast-food outlets.
In Palma, the capital of Mallorca, approximately 5,000 demonstrators turned out, with some participants also carrying water guns. Tourists hit with water appeared to take the soaking in good humour, laughing off the surprise.
Mallorca, a favourite holiday destination for British and German tourists, has faced soaring housing prices, which critics also link to the diversion of homes to the short-term rental market.
In Barcelona, demonstrators chanted slogans such as, ‘Everywhere you look, all you see are tourists’, and waved handmade signs that read, ‘One more tourist, one less resident’.
Protesters also placed stickers on hotel and hostel doors with messages like ‘Citizen Self-Defence’ (in Catalan) and ‘Tourist Go Home’ (in English), accompanied by illustrations of water pistols.
Tensions flared when the protest reached a large hostel. A group fired their water guns at two employees standing at the entrance, ignited firecrackers, and released a plume of pink smoke. One hostel worker responded by spitting at the protesters and slamming the doors shut.
However, many participants used their water pistols simply to cool off, refraining from targeting others.
Cities around the globe are grappling with the challenges posed by mass tourism and the rapid growth of short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb. In Spain, frustration has become particularly visible, with Barcelona already witnessing similar water pistol protests last summer.
The anti-tourism and pro-housing movements have increasingly overlapped. In April, thousands marched in Madrid, some carrying signs that read, ‘Get Airbnb out of our neighbourhoods’.
That sentiment was echoed again on Sunday, with signs proclaiming, ‘Your Airbnb was my home.’
A public opinion shift has also emerged. In June 2022, only 2% of Spaniards identified housing as a major national issue. By 2025, nearly one in three respondents cited it as a top concern. According to Spain’s official polling agency, 76% of people surveyed last year supported stricter regulations on tourist rentals. The surveys, which polled 4,000 people, have a margin of error of 1.6%.
Both local and national authorities in Spain are working to demonstrate that they are responding to public concern, even though tourism represents about 12% of the country’s GDP. ALSO READ: Draft bill submitted for 100% tax on property purchases by non-resident, non-EU nationals.
In a significant move last month, Spain’s government ordered Airbnb to delist nearly 66,000 vacation rentals that failed to comply with local laws. ALSO READ: Spain orders Airbnb to remove over 65,000 ‘illegal’ holiday rental listings.
Barcelona had already made headlines last year by announcing it would revoke all 10,000 short-term rental licenses in the city by 2028, a decision that surprised many in the industry. ALSO READ: Barcelona wants to revoke all city’s 10,101 tourist apartment licences by Nov 2028.
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ALSO READ: Ibiza starts to limit caravans, tourist and rental cars on the island until end of September.
🚶🚶♀️Primeras imágenes de la manifestación contra la saturación turística en Palma @menysturisme #15j #canviemelrumb pic.twitter.com/fxKxadyXlt
— SERmallorca (@SERmallorca) June 15, 2025
Avui la lluita pel #DecreixementTurístic
i contra la #turistització ha donat una mostra de forca front el robatori sistemàtic de sostre, pa i futur per seguir alimentant un model de ciutat invivible per qui l’habita pic.twitter.com/467HAjKSll— PAH Barcelona (@PAH_BCN) June 15, 2025
🇪🇸🇮🇹🇵🇹 Anti-tourism protests have erupted across Spain, Italy, and Portugal as locals push back against mass tourism, citing rising housing costs and overcrowding. In Barcelona, demonstrators were encouraged to bring water pistols to spray tourists, symbolizing their frustration.… pic.twitter.com/iJY1mBdjHG
— Europe News 🇪🇺 (@EuropeNewsEU) June 15, 2025
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