Andalusia protests ignite against mass tourism influx
1 July 2024 10:47
Thousands of people participated in protests against mass tourism in Andalusia. "Give us back our city!", "Tourism or life!", "You won't sell Malaga!" chanted the protesters.
The protest in southern Spain took place on Saturday afternoon, 29 June this year. The largest demonstrations were held in Malaga and Cádiz.
The residents of Malaga have had enough of tourists
Thousands of people gathered in the centre of Malaga, chanting slogans against the mass influx of tourists in their city and criticising the local council's misguided policies.
"Give us back our city!", "Tourism or life!", "You won't sell Malaga!" chanted the protesters. Some demonstrators carried posters with slogans such as: "Where is the mayor?", "Malaga - a theme park", and "This is not tourism, this is an invasion".
The demonstrators demanded that the city authorities limit mass tourism. According to the protesters, this leads to excessive property price inflation and increased living costs for residents.
Protests in Cádiz
Opponents of mass tourism protested in Cádiz in front of the municipal authorities' headquarters. The demands presented to the council included proposals to increase taxes and fees for facilities accommodating tourists, designate zones where tourists can stay overnight, and introduce strict controls on properties illegally housing vacationers.
Attendance figures, as is often the case during large gatherings, vary. March organisers claim that around 25,000 people participated in the protest. However, some Italian media reported lower attendance. The newspaper "La Pais" stated that there were around 15,000 protesters.
Andalusia is the latest region in Spain to witness protests against the mass influx of tourists in Europe. Similar rallies have already been organised in the Balearics and Canary Islands.
