2024 anti-tourism protests in Spain
| Date | 20 April 2024–ongoing |
|---|---|
| Location | Canary Islands; Balearic Islands; and Barcelona, Spain |
| Cause | Demand legislation to stop and prevent overtourism |
Beginning in April 2024, there have been protests in Spain against overtourism, specifically in the archipelagos of the Balearics and Canaries, and in the mainland cities of Barcelona and Málaga. These first three locations are the top three most-visited in Spain by tourists. Following the COVID-19 pandemic limiting tourists' opportunities to travel, the numbers of visitors to Spanish destinations has significantly increased year-on-year. Local governments and residents believe that, rather than sustaining the locations, the overtourism has contributed to a reduced quality of life and increased cost of living for residents.
The BBC reported that while overtourism has concerned residents of the most-visited locations for a while, "[in 2024] it feels like something has changed. The anger among many locals is reaching a new level".