Malaga residents rally against wave of excessive tourism

In Malaga, thousands protested against excessive tourism, demanding housing protection and the local community's way of life. The demonstration addressed difficulties related to housing access and increased tourist facilities in the city.

According to police data, a march occurred in Malaga, with about 5,500 people participating. Slogans such as "Malaga is not for sale" and "We want to live, not survive" were chanted. However, the organizers of the march claim that attendance was much higher, estimating it at 25,000 people. Residents of the Spanish city and popular resort opposed excessive tourism in the region.

The protest was a response to residents' growing dissatisfaction with housing accessibility. Other problems highlighted included evictions and the closure of local businesses.

Demonstrators demanded "the right to own a home", opposing mass tourism. According to the Spanish news agency EFE, the number of tourists makes short-term rental more profitable for property owners, forcing residents to move to the city's outskirts.

The march included Ione Barrera, deputy and secretary-general of the left-wing party Podemos. She called for "decisive and bold" measures against "touristification", such as a moratorium on tourist construction.

"The people are saying loud and clear that cities are for living, they are not for tourists," said Barrera, whose words are quoted by the EFE agency.

Daniel Perez, the secretary-general of the left-wing Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) of Malaga, who also participated in the march, urged the city authorities to "pay attention" to the residents of Malaga. He pointed out that other municipalities, such as Madrid, Barcelona, and Bilbao, have already taken steps to limit the growth of tourist accommodation, while Malaga "looked the other way".

Malaga, which was recently just a tourist stopover, is becoming their primary holiday destination, as confirmed by data from accommodation booking services. The Tenant Union, one of the groups organizing the march, stated that 12,196 tourist accommodations are registered in Malaga, corresponding to 63,594 tourist beds.

As explained by the EFE agency, up to 68.9% of homes in some areas, such as around Plaza de La Merced, are for tourism purposes.

Protesters emphasize that the current situation in Malaga makes life and economic life difficult, and mass tourism brings more problems than benefits to the local community.