‘Anti-tourism’ groups in Europe are reportedly planning to stage weekend demonstrations to raise awareness of frustrations related to overtourism in many holiday hotspots.
The Southern Europe against Touristification coalition, a group of activists and campaigners from across Europe, is calling for protests to take place this Sunday in various European cities and beach destinations.
“The goal is not to attack individuals but to draw attention to the social and environmental toll tourism is taking on our cities,” one activity reportedly told EU Today. “We are being squeezed out of our homes, our public spaces, and our daily lives.”
The move comes after mounting frustration emerged in various parts of Europe over issues related to overtourism, including soaring rent, and unruly visitors overpopulating beaches and places of natural beauty.
In Spain, there were instances of protestors holding signs saying “tourists go home”.
So what can be expected during the latest round of anti-tourism protests scheduled for this weekend? Here’s what you need to know.
When and where are the anti-tourism protests?
The latest round of protests is expected to take place on June 15 across various towns and cities in Southern Europe.
At this point, it’s unclear how many people are involved with the demonstrations.
According to Catalan News, protests are expected to take place across 16 sunny locations, but each city group is determining how and when they’ll protest.
The cities where holiday makers can expect some disruption on Sunday include Barcelona, the Pyrenees, Mallorca, Venice, Valencia, Naples, Lisbon, Palermo, Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián, and Eivissa (Ibiza).
Reports claim that some protestors may even be heading to airports to voice their concerns as jetsetters land ahead of their holidays.
Why are they protesting?
While many people welcome tourists across the summer and the profit visitors bring to such cities, protestors point to challenges emerging from overtourism.
According to the travel magazine AFAR, the collective goals of the group are to bring about “limits on tourist exploitation”.
Over the last few years, locals across Europe’s most famous travel destinations have grown increasingly frustrated with tourists.
Airbnb has been a particular pain point, with many inner-city apartments reserved for short-term travellers rather than rented out for locals looking for long-term residences.
Pierre Joan, a representative for one such group in Mallorca is quoted by AFAR as saying: “Our narrative, that we are saying for many years, is that we don’t have limits [on visitor numbers], and right now we are past the limits, so we need to reduce the number of tourists. We have to fight with the politicians who give false solutions.”
Is it safe?
It’s understood that tourists aren’t necessarily the target behind the protests, but locals are calling on their governments to do more to monitor and manage tourism levels in European cities.
It’s worth noting that tourists have been targeted with water guns in past demonstrations, so it might be a good idea to carry something waterproof to stash your valuables in just in case.
There haven’t been any updates to travel advice, and most trips across Europe are thought to be hassle-free. But if you encounter a demonstration, refrain from getting involved and consider leaving the location if you are concerned.
