Mass Anti-Tourism Protests Spread in Southern Europe

Thousands of protesters in Spain, Italy, and Portugal staged coordinated demonstrations against overtourism, targeting tourist areas and hotels in cities like Barcelona, Majorca, Genoa, Lisbon, and Venice. Protesters voiced concerns about rising housing costs, loss of local culture, environmental harm, and neighborhoods being transformed for tourists at residents' expense. Some protest actions led to confrontations, prompting police intervention near major landmarks to prevent escalation. Activist groups argue that current tourism models prioritize industry profits while displacing locals and eroding community identity. The movement, sparked by workshops and earlier protests, has gained significant momentum and calls for urgent policy changes to address the housing crisis and unchecked tourist growth. Organizers warn that further demonstrations will occur if authorities fail to act, signaling growing demands for a fairer tourism economy across southern Europe.