Tourists sprayed with water guns by protesters as European anti-tourism trend grows

As European countries proceed to grapple with overtourism, immoderate citizens are taking a stand. 

Protesters gathered successful Barcelona and connected the Spanish land of Mallorca connected Sunday to protestation against travelers to their state by spraying them with h2o guns, The Associated Press (AP) reported. 

Demonstrators marched with signs saying, "One much tourist, 1 little resident," and "Tourist Go Home." The demonstrators are demanding a reworking of their section economy.

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Spaniard Andreu Martínez humorously told the AP that the usage of the squirt guns is to annoy the tourists a bit.

"Barcelona has been handed to the tourists. This is simply a combat to springiness Barcelona backmost to its residents," said Martínez.

A protester is shown with a h2o weapon during a protestation against overtourism successful Barcelona, Spain. (AP Photo/Pau Venteo)

He said his rent has risen implicit 30%, with apartments successful his vicinity continually being rented retired for short-term vacations.

"Our lives, arsenic lifelong residents of Barcelona, are coming to an end," helium said. "We are being pushed retired systematically."

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Martínez said galore accepted stores person been replaced by souvenir shops, bubble beverage shops and burger joints to conscionable the request of tourists. 

In May, the Spanish authorities ordered Airbnb to remove about 66,000 abrogation rentals for violating section rules, AP reported.

Protesters march with signs arsenic residents assertion their rents person accrued implicit 30% owed to abrogation rentals. (AP Photo/Pau Venteo)

Jaime Rodríguez de Santiago, Airbnb’s wide manager for Spain and Portugal, told AP that Airbnb is not liable for overtourism.

"I deliberation a batch of our politicians person recovered an casual scapegoat to blasted for the inefficiencies of their policies successful presumption of lodging and tourism implicit the past 10, 15, 20 years," said Rodríguez.

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Barcelona officials had planned to ban short-term tourist flat rentals by 2028, FOX Business antecedently reported. 

Short-term rentals successful Barcelona person been stagnant for years, remaining astatine astir 10,000 since 2014, according to figures from Barcelona’s City Hall. 

Spanish protesters march against overtourism successful Barcelona and Mallorca arsenic residents look rising rents and displacement. (AP Photo/Pau Venteo)

Barcelona metropolis information indicates astir 850,000 homes beryllium successful Barcelona, making the 10,000 oregon truthful short-term rentals a fraction of full housing.

Popular cities crossed Europe held their ain tourism protests, with locals gathering successful Venice, Italy, and Lisbon, Portugal.

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Other international vacation destinations have implemented taxes successful an effort to curb tourism, Fox News Digital antecedently reported.

Greek officials, for example, are readying to enforce a $22 taxation connected visitors cruising to Santorini oregon Mykonos.

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Venice, Italy, introduced a pilot program in 2024 to complaint time trippers a $5.17 (5 euros) introduction interest and are present looking to treble the tax.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.