Mass tourism provokes protests in resort regions of Southern Europe: assessments of the situation by foreign media

Europe is faced with a paradox that is already difficult to ignore. On the one hand, the tourism industry remains a key source of income for entire regions of Southern Europe, from Lisbon to Barcelona and Venice. On the other hand, the more the flow of tourists increases, the louder the protests of the local residents themselves. In many European cities, tourism has long ceased to be only an economic pillar, gradually turning into a burden for infrastructure, housing market, ecology, health care systems and even the identity of historical centers.

Mass tourism displaces local residents from their habitat, sharply increases housing prices, creates chaos in transport hubs and provokes a gradual change in the structure of urban life to meet the seasonal needs of vacationers. In 2025, this tension turned into an open confrontation: mass protests against excessive tourism began in dozens of popular locations in Southern Europe. European mass media are closely monitoring this dynamic, trying to find an answer to the question: how to save the economy without destroying the cities under the weight of the tourist flows themselves?

Le Temps – Switzerland. Here, only decisive measures will help, and this lever should be applied at the most painful point – this is the opinion of the Geneva newspaper Le Temps:

“The state departments of these regions faced a very difficult dilemma. On the one hand, they cannot survive in the economic sense without tourism manna. On the other hand, it is necessary to hear the anger of the citizens, because otherwise the situation can get out of control.

… Everything is being done to encourage mass tourism: cheap flights, All-Inclusive offer in hotels, a number of hotels along the coast.

… The protesters are right. This flow can be stopped only by taking serious measures in the field of real estate. And the introduction of fines for defecating anywhere or for walking on the streets with a bare torso is just political cosmetics.”

El Periódico de Catalunya – Spain. In his article for Barcelona’s El Periódico de Catalunya, writer Juan Taglion reflects on the sense of well-being of a person in a crowded space:

“Reality is overflowing with news, discourse offers lies for every taste, debates turn out to be aggressive, and our calendar is full of important matters. When something full, oversaturated, or stuffed to the brim is suddenly emptied, it causes an indescribable feeling of satisfaction.

… Let’s remember at least the relief that came over the residents of Barcelona who used the bus route number 116: it was already taken over by tourists, who conveniently and comfortably used it to get to Park Güell, instead of walking uphill. But it was worth disappearing from Google maps, as the buses emptied! It is not surprising that since childhood we dream of being invisible – this would mean that the world should not be shared with anyone. Maybe we don’t ask for so much!”

The Conversation – France. A group of scientists published an article on the portal The Conversation France in which they call for solutions through dialogue:

“These protests should no longer be viewed as a scourge that manifests itself in certain regions, but should be seen as symptoms of a broad struggle for social justice. They show that it is possible to jointly develop alternatives that would take into account the needs of the local population to a greater extent and would not be aimed only at achieving economic growth at any cost.

To develop a new strategy of urban tourism means to look at the city as a worthy space for the lives of the people who inhabit it, and not just as a decoration that pleases the gaze of the visiting guests. And for this, it is necessary to fight against inequality and distortions, under the sign of which the process of transforming cities into tourist enclaves is currently taking place.”

On June 15, 2025, large-scale protests against mass tourism are to take place in several key tourist centers in Spain. As reported Daily Express, these performances can affect even the foreign tourists who will be on vacation at this time. Protests are planned in Barcelona, ​​Malaga, San Sebastian, Granada, as well as on the resort islands of Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Tenerife.

Through these actions, local residents are trying to draw attention again to the consequences they feel in their daily lives due to the constant influx of tourists. According to the publication, the organizers of the protests point to the congestion of the streets, the shortage of affordable housing, as well as the growing environmental burden on the regions. Among the demands of the protesters is the introduction of clear restrictions on the number of tourists allowed to be received in these zones.