‘Tourists, go home!’: Mass tourism exasperates locals in Europe and beyond

A demonstrator uses a megaphone as people protest against mass tourism, Alicante, Spain, July 13, 2024. © Eva Manez, Reuters

An increasing number of visitors has sparked numerous anti-tourism movements in Spain and elsewhere in Europe. Locals blame tourists for driving up housing costs, inflation, and causing environmental degradation. Some affected regions are beginning to take small steps to ease their residents' concerns.  

A collective of several hundred associations in Spain known as Ecologistas marched through the town of El Puerto de Santa Maria on July 20 to denounce "uncontrolled mass tourism", chanting: “Our city is not for sale!”