Activists Plan Major Protest in Palma Against Mass Tourism Surge

Activists opposing mass tourism in Spain have declared their intent to disrupt the holiday island of Majorca with a significant demonstration scheduled for next month. Organizers from the group Menys Turisme Mes Vida, which translates to "Less Tourism More Life," announced plans for a major rally in Palma, the capital of Majorca, on July 26 at 7 pm. This event is being positioned as a historic escalation in the ongoing conflict over overtourism, coming just over a year after a previous gathering in the city where police were required to disperse a crowd of approximately 100 activists who had concluded their protest with drumming in the city center.

The timing of the July 26 protest is strategic, set to occur shortly before the August 12 solar eclipse, an astronomical event expected to draw an unprecedented number of visitors to the Balearic Islands. David Comas, a spokesman for the organizing group, stated unequivocally that the island has reached its capacity and cannot accommodate further influxes of tourists. He argued that the destination has effectively become a theme park, creating an environment where local youth struggle to achieve independence and secure decent housing. To facilitate a buildup to the main event, organizers intend to host smaller, less publicized protests in the weeks leading up to the date.

The controversy has extended beyond organized marches to include direct confrontations with visitors. During a demonstration in May 2024 involving an estimated 15,000 participants, some foreign tourists faced hostility, including booing and jeering while dining in a public square, an incident that prompted organizers to issue a public apology. Other groups have employed aggressive tactics, such as protesters in Menorca harassing tourists and demonstrators in Barcelona firing water pistols at sightseeing buses near the Sagrada Familia. In Majorca, activists have been photographed storming party beaches, deploying smoke, and using water pistols against holidaymakers while holding placards with slogans like "tourists go home" and "let's occupy our beaches."

The rhetoric used by protesters highlights severe environmental and infrastructural grievances. Signs carried during recent demonstrations have read "Canarias tiene un limite" and "My misery is your paradise," while others criticized sewage pollution by stating "tourists swim in s***," referencing wastewater from hotels dumped into the sea. Recent reports from the Canary Islands indicate locals sealing Airbnb key boxes and activists using fake police tape to falsely close popular beach access points. These actions underscore a broader sentiment that the Spanish government has failed to address the crisis, a view echoed by the environmental group GOB, which noted that record tourist arrivals of 94 million in 2024 necessitate grassroots intervention. As the summer season approaches, the focus remains on whether the authorities can manage the surge in visitors or if the "war on holidaymakers" will intensify.

By August 2025, Spain welcomed 66.8 million international visitors, representing a 3.9 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Jordi Hereu, the Spanish Tourism Minister, previously questioned whether the nation would reach the 100 million tourist milestone. He noted that rising spending levels mitigated concerns about missing this ambitious target.

Data from Exceltur indicates that slower growth stems from reduced expenditure by travelers from Germany, France, Turkey, and the United States.

Conversely, visitor numbers from Britain, China, and Poland increased during the peak season, partially offsetting the decline. Domestic tourism figures remained stable throughout this period.

Reports from last year suggest some holidaymakers avoided specific regions due to fears of being sprayed with water by anti-tourism activists.

Mark Meader, vice-president of the American Society of Travel Agents, highlighted these incidents at a summit in Jaén, Andalusia. He stated that such scenes had discouraged some American travelers from visiting Barcelona.

Discussions at the conference focused heavily on combating this so-called tourism phobia following a sharp industry slump. The downturn was partly blamed on protests that swept across the country last summer.

Industry leaders argue that these demonstrations frightened potential travelers, contributing to the decline in European and American spending.

The situation has become so severe that ABTA, a travel body based in the United Kingdom, issued guidance to reassure its members about safety in Spain.