Locals protest over rising costs and disrespectful behaviour

Protests against tourism have made headlines across Europe this summer, with locals in popular tourist destinations such as Spain, the Netherlands and Greece voicing their displeasure. The main point of contention is the rising cost of living, especially rents and house prices, which many locals attribute to mass tourism.

Carlos Ramírez, a school teacher in Barcelona, ​​has been saving for his first house for years. However, the escalation of property prices in the Catalan capital has made it almost impossible to afford a place of your own. Like many residents of southern Europe, Ramírez blames mass tourism for rising costs.

During the last decade, rents in Barcelona have increased by 68%, a trend reflected in other European cities. Frustration among locals has led to protests, some of which have turned extreme. In April, locals in the Spanish Canary Islands went on hunger strike to protest over-tourism.

The protests have had a major impact on the reputation of these cities as tourist destinations. Antje Martins, a sustainable tourism expert at the University of Queensland, believes the protests could influence where tourists choose to travel. However, Eduardo Santander, CEO of the European Travel Commission, suggests that these incidents are isolated and do not reflect the full reality of Spain or Europe.

In response to growing discontent, some European cities have taken bold steps to regulate tourism levels. Venice, for example, introduced a temporary entry fee, which amounted to more than 2.4 million euros (about 2.6 million dollars). The mayor of Barcelona, ​​Jaume Collboni, recently announced his intention to increase the city's tourist tax for some cruises.

However, it is not only housing problems that have caused a backlash against tourists. The disrespectful behavior of some tourists has also played a role. Sebastian Zenker, professor of tourism at Copenhagen Business School, explains how these incidents have led some cities to carry out “demarketing campaigns”, which aim to dissuade certain tourists from visiting them.

The challenge now is to find a balance that allows tourism to thrive while ensuring that locals can afford to live in their own cities. Until then, protests are likely to continue.