Dozens of anti-tourism protesters occupied a beach in Ibiza on Sunday, continuing a wave of demonstrations against holidaymakers in the Balearic Islands. The demonstration took place at Cala Saladeta, a small cove near the resort town of San Antonio.
Protesters, organized by the Ibiza Youth Association, held banners with messages in Catalan, including one that translated to English as "Wherever you look, it's all tourists." They used the Catalan term "guiris," a pejorative for tourists, to describe holidaymakers.
Organizers stated their intention was to assert that "public spaces will always belong to us and the island was not for sale." They had previously called for sympathizers online, questioning how long residents would accept increasing difficulty in enjoying their own island and asserting their right to access it year-round, not just from November to March.
This action followed a larger demonstration on the neighboring island of Mallorca the previous day, where approximately 1,000 people formed a human chain in Palma, demanding greater action from regional politicians against overtourism. GOB Mallorca, one of the groups involved in the Mallorca protest, expressed a commitment to achieving a "liveable Mallorca with a future" and protecting the island from what they described as a "predatory tourism and capitalist model."
The protests in the Balearic Islands have intensified over the past two years. In late July, a march in Palma saw clashes between riot police and demonstrators, with reported participant numbers varying significantly between police (20,000) and organizers (70,000). Another demonstration occurred on August 8 in Soller, Mallorca, where locals expressed concern about the impact of mass tourism on their daily lives, with signs reading "No more second homes while locals can't afford one" and "Welcome to Majorca. And where do we live?"
Incidents of tourists facing abuse have also been reported. In May 2024, organizers of a demonstration in Palma apologized after some holidaymakers were booed and jeered while dining in a public square. An estimated 15,000 people participated in that event. The previous day, around 1,000 people protested outside Ibiza Council's headquarters regarding the effects of mass tourism. In June of the previous year, activists held up a sightseeing bus ahead of a larger march in Palma, which concluded with about 100 activists surrounding an eatery. Police intervened to disperse the group.
The Canary Islands, along with the Balearics, have become focal points for anti-tourism sentiment, with similar protests also occurring in mainland Spanish cities like Barcelona and Malaga.