Southern Europe, long a sun-drenched haven for holidaymakers, is bracing for a coordinated wave of anti-tourism protests this June, as grassroots activist groups from across the region prepare to escalate their campaign against what they describe as the “unchecked expansion” of the travel industry.
On June 15th, cities including Barcelona, Venice, Lisbon and Palermo are expected to stage synchronised demonstrations aimed squarely at what activists call the “touristification” of their communities. The Southern Europe Network Against Touristification – a coalition of activists and local campaigners – announced the upcoming day of action after a strategy workshop in Barcelona last weekend, attended by 120 delegates from more than a dozen cities.
While the exact form of the protests remains fluid, there is one detail that appears certain: water guns will be involved.
The brightly coloured toys, typically seen poolside or on beaches, first entered the activist arsenal during a high-profile protest on Barcelona’s Las Ramblas in July 2024. A small group of demonstrators doused unsuspecting tourists in a symbolic act of resistance. The spectacle, equal parts absurd and provocative, garnered widespread international media coverage – a success activists are keen to replicate.
This time, the message is sharper. “The goal is not to attack individuals but to draw attention to the social and environmental toll tourism is taking on our cities,” said one organiser from Lisbon, who asked not to be named. “We are being squeezed out of our homes, our public spaces, and our daily lives.”
Indeed, the grievances fuelling this new wave of dissent are not easily dismissed. In cities such as Barcelona and Venice, the influx of tourists has coincided with soaring rental prices, a severe shortage of affordable housing, overcrowded public transport, and creeping environmental degradation. The numbers are stark: Barcelona alone hosted 15.5 million tourists in 2024 – more than nine times the city’s population.
In response to growing public discontent, Barcelona’s city council has taken steps to curb the industry’s reach. New hotel construction has been restricted, and a phased ban on Airbnb is set to come into effect in 2028. Still, critics argue that such measures are too little, too late.
“Tourism is devouring the soul of our city,” said one activist during last weekend’s meeting. “It’s not about hating tourists – it’s about saving our communities.”
The planned protests are expected to include marches through historic city centres, picketing at airports, and even blockades of tour buses and popular landmarks. Organisers say the aim is to be disruptive – but peaceful – in their efforts to provoke a broader discussion about the role tourism plays in shaping urban life.
Municipal authorities are already on alert. In Barcelona, tourism officials responded with dismay at news of the planned demonstrations. “We acknowledge the challenges posed by high visitor numbers,” said a spokesperson for the city’s tourism board. “But confronting tourists with hostility is not the answer. Dialogue and cooperation are the way forward.”
That sentiment is echoed by many local businesses, who rely on tourism for their livelihoods. “We understand the frustration,” said María Gómez, owner of a small tapas bar near the Gothic Quarter. “But if people stop coming, we close. There has to be a balance.”
Finding that balance is proving increasingly difficult in an era of cheap flights, Instagram-driven travel trends, and post-pandemic wanderlust. While the tourism industry is a vital economic engine – contributing nearly 10% of GDP in Spain and Portugal – its rapid growth has laid bare deep structural tensions between global mobility and local sustainability.
In Venice, where cruise ships have already been restricted and entry fees for day-trippers are being introduced, activists argue that piecemeal reforms don’t go far enough. “Tourism as it exists today is not sustainable,” said a delegate from the Venetian chapter of the network. “It turns our cities into playgrounds for the wealthy, while those who live and work here are pushed to the margins.”
Whether the June 15th protests will be a turning point or just another flash in the pan remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the wariness toward mass tourism, once dismissed as fringe, is fast becoming mainstream across southern Europe.
And as water guns are primed and placards prepared, holidaymakers might find themselves caught in the crossfire of a battle over the very future of the places they love to visit.
Main Image: By Billie Grace Ward from New York, USA – Tourist Go Home, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89954092
