Tyres on hire cars have been slashed in the most recent anti-tourist demonstration to strike Spain.
A Spanish mayor has spoken out following a series of anti-tourist incidents that have targeted a popular town in Majorca. Artà, situated off the north-east coast of the island, is a firm favourite amongst holidaymakers for its charming scenery and comparatively tranquil atmosphere relative to the island’s more lively resorts.
However, it has now become the focus of protests, with graffiti daubed on walls and properties, and the tyres of rental vehicles deliberately punctured. ‘Tourists go home’ slogans have been plastered across walls in Artà’s town centre as well as along a road leading to the tourist hotspot of Palma.
The local Civil Guard has been notified of the hire car attack, which has reportedly affected several vehicles.
Do you have a story or opinion to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
The mayor of Artà, Manolo Galán, expressed regret over the incident and roundly condemned such « acts of vandalism » directed at tourists.
« We can agree or not, but these actions cannot be carried out, we all suffer from saturation, but you can see that there are people who express it in their own way, » he said.
Tensions over overtourism have been steadily mounting across Spain ever since travel resumed following the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the country welcomed 11.3 million international visitors in August, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE). This represented a 2.9 per cent rise compared to the same month in 2024, following a record-breaking July which saw 11 million foreign arrivals — a year-on-year increase of 1.6 per cent.
Combined, the two months saw 22.3 million tourists descend upon Spain, vastly exceeding 2024’s figure of 21.8 million for the equivalent period.
Almost 66.8 million international tourists visited Spain during the first eight months of 2025, yet another record that surpassed last year’s comparable figure by 3.9 per cent, the INE confirmed.
In an effort to ease the burden of soaring visitor numbers on local residents, the Spanish government announced in September last year the removal of approximately 53,000 tourist flats from the Single Register of Tourist and Seasonal Rentals, which will subsequently become permanent rentals.
« We have detected thousands of irregularities in many of these homes that are intended to become holiday and tourist rentals. And what we are going to do is remove 53,000 homes from this register so that they become permanent rentals for young people and families in our country, » Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said at the time. Local councils have also stepped in. The Balearic Islands have introduced tougher restrictions on drinking and party boats to rein in unruly behaviour, while Barcelona has unveiled plans to entirely eliminate short-term tourist apartments by 2028, returning thousands of properties to the long-term rental market.
Source link
