Spain holiday protests see 150,000 take to streets over key feature loved by Brits

Protests rocked Madrid and Barcelona on Sunday, as fury over the impact of overtourism and the growth of Airbnb rentals on Spanish communities continues to grow

Tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Madrid on Sunday, voicing their outrage over the devastating impact of mass tourism and online booking platforms like Airbnb on local communities across the city and beyond. Protesters brandished signs proclaiming "housing is a right, not a business," and railed against profiteering landlords.

Despite government attempts to address the crisis with new legislation and tourist taxes, the massive turnout - estimated at 150,000 by organisers, although police put the figure at 22,000 - suggests little progress has been made in placating the anger of residents.

A similar protest erupted in Barcelona, a major tourist hub, where locals marched in defiance of the city's decision to host the Americas Cup yacht race, an event expected to draw even more visitors to the already saturated city, which attracts over 12 million tourists annually.

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The country, long cherished by Brits for its sun, sea, and sand, is witnessing a surge of discontent over shocking rent increases and a lack of housing supply. Post-pandemic tourism has boomed in Spain, leading to a severe housing crisis as more properties are turned into vacation rentals, and sparking huge protests, reports the Mirror.

Rents have soared, pitting residents against tourists in the hunt for accommodation. At a demonstration in Madrid, 30 year old Marta Morales expressed her frustration: "What cannot happen is that prices are as they are. If to get them down we have to go on strike, I think it is understandable and we are all in this."

Youth and students, hit hard by the proliferation of short-term rentals, were prominent among the protesters, with many demanding Housing Minister Isabel Rodriguez's resignation,

Activists point out that Madrid workers now spend half their yearly earnings on rent, a burden made heavier by stagnant wages, especially among the less affluent and often underemployed younger population.