One of Europe’s largest tourist hubs, Spain, is preparing for another test. Next week, at the height of the summer season, a mass protest against excessive tourism is expected to take place at one of the country’s busiest airports. Local trade unions, environmental activists and residents of resort areas are warning that this is only the beginning of a larger wave of protests if the authorities do not review their tourism policy.
On Monday, the protest will take place at Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI), the country’s third busiest airport in the summer. Several thousand people are expected to participate, including tourism workers, local residents and environmental activists.
The organisers are demanding restrictions on tourist numbers in the Balearic Islands, higher taxes for foreign property investors and quotas on hotel accommodation and rentals through platforms such as Airbnb.
“We love tourists, but there are too many of us. Our homes are turning into hotels, prices are rising and the infrastructure cannot cope,” a statement from the SOS Residents Balears coalition said.
Possible consequences for tourists
The authorities have not ruled out flight delays, increased checks at entry points and restricted access to the airport during peak hours. Although the strike is not a transport strike, there is a risk of partial road blockades and difficult access to terminals.
Parallel actions are also possible on the streets of Palma and in popular resort areas, including Magaluf and Alcudia.
In 2025, Spain is once again among the three most visited countries in the world, with more than 6 million tourists arriving in the Balearic Islands in the first half of the year alone, 18% more than in 2024. This is causing serious discontent among the local population, especially on the islands, where there is a housing shortage, rising prices and a deteriorating environmental situation.
Similar protests have already taken place this year in Barcelona, Tenerife, Granada and Ibiza. The authorities have so far limited themselves to proposals to introduce an “ecological tax” and partial control over short-term rentals.
