Rental car tires have been damaged in the latest protest against tourism in Spain. The mayor of Artà , a town in Majorca popular among tourists for its charm and tranquility, expressed concern over the recent anti-tourist incidents in the area.
Graffiti with messages like ‘Tourists go home’ has appeared on walls and roads in Artà , alongside reports of slashed rental car tires. The local Civil Guard has been informed about the vandalism, impacting multiple vehicles.
Mayor Manolo Galán of Artà condemned the acts of vandalism against tourism, emphasizing that while the community may feel overwhelmed by tourism, resorting to such actions is unacceptable. Anti-tourism protests have been increasing in Spain since travel resumed post the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spain experienced a surge in international visitors, with 11.3 million tourists in August last year, marking a 2.9% increase from the same period in 2024. The total number of tourists in August and July combined reached 22.3 million, surpassing the previous year’s figures.
To address the impact of tourism on locals, the Spanish government removed around 53,000 tourist flats from the rental register in September to convert them into permanent residences. Additionally, measures such as stricter controls on party boats in the Balearic Islands and plans to phase out short-term tourist apartments in Barcelona aim to mitigate the effects of overtourism.