Challenges of mass tourism: Local backlash and housing crisis across Spanish islands
Photo: Tourists in Ibiza (unsplash.com)
On the Spanish island of Ibiza, protests have begun against excessive tourism. The development of resorts is leading to a critical housing shortage and harming the local population.
Authorities are urged to limit the number of tourist accommodations, euronews.travel website reports.
Activists in Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca take to the streets to protest over-tourism.
"We are not against tourism itself. We have nothing against the people who come and respect our island. A side effect of mass tourism is that house prices are rising. Everyone feels that everything is collapsing. More restaurants require more workers but these workers require places to live and there are ten looking for every place," said local police officer Rafael Jimenez, who was forced to move to a city on the Spanish mainland.
He explained, that he left Ibiza, where he had lived for most of his life, because he could not take the atmosphere any more.
"I have a house in Ibiza. But I couldn’t take it. We feel that tourism is taking public places. It is very expensive," he added.
Activists report that on Ibiza, nurses and police officers are forced to live in cars and vans because they cannot find affordable housing. Due to the inability of doctors to afford living on the island, cancer treatments and operations are being postponed.
Teacher Karla Andrade, who works on Ibiza, has moved to Palma on Majorca. She commutes daily to Ibiza for work and back to avoid paying high rent on the island.
Photo: Landscapes in Ibiza (pixabay.com)
Opposition to the increase in tourists is also rising on Tenerife. Local residents there also find themselves having to sleep in cars and caves because housing is being bought up by tourist organizations.
On one of the most popular tourist destinations in Menorca, the behavior of tourists has led residents to impose visiting hours restrictions.
One European capital joining the anti-tourism wave - walls of buildings in Athens are covered with graffiti slogans against tourists.
Malaga also declared war on tourists - the center of the city is covered with stickers expressing anti-tourism sentiments.
