As Spain and Germany brace for mass anti-tourism protests this Sunday, public discontent has reached a breaking point in key cities including the Canary Islands, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, and Berlin. Fueled by record-breaking tourist arrivals, surging housing costs, overwhelmed infrastructure, and growing environmental concerns, residents are uniting under a common cause to demand urgent reforms to their countries’ tourism models. Organized by the activist group Canarias tiene un límite, the coordinated demonstrations aim to halt unchecked development, introduce sustainable tourism policies, and restore balance between visitor economies and the wellbeing of local communities.

Coordinated Demonstrations Signal Rising Frustration

Protests will unfold across all seven main Canary Islands—El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura—beginning at 11:00 AM local time. Simultaneously, demonstrations will occur in mainland Spanish cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia, and a solidarity protest is planned in Berlin, Germany, all starting at 12:00 PM local time.

These synchronized protests mark a turning point in the growing grassroots opposition to the current tourism-driven economic model, which critics claim prioritizes limitless growth at the expense of environmental, social, and economic stability.

Why the Protests Are Happening

Organizers say the current tourism system promotes:

• Overtourism and unsustainable growth
• Real estate speculation
• Widening inequality
• Environmental degradation on fragile islands
• Deterioration of healthcare and housing access for locals

Their demands include:

• A moratorium on new tourist developments
• A halt to large-scale hotel construction and the controversial racetrack in Tenerife
• Implementation of an ecological tourist tax
• Legal action to reduce marine pollution
• A law mandating environmental restoration
• Secure housing and healthcare for island residents

The goal is to transition from a profit-driven tourism model to one that is people-centered, environmentally sound, and socially just.

Record Tourism Adds Fuel to the Fire

The protests come amid record-breaking tourism statistics that have intensified local frustration.

Spain’s Tourism Surge:

In 2024, Spain welcomed approximately 94 million international tourists, making it the second most visited country in the world. This figure was more than 10 million higher than in 2023, setting a new national record.

• United Kingdom was the top source country, sending over 18 million tourists to Spain
• France followed with 13 million foreign visitors

The boom has continued into 2025. According to Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), the first quarter of 2025 saw nearly 17.1 million international tourist arrivals, a 5.7% increase compared to the same period last year.

The Canary Islands alone welcomed 1.55 million visitors in March 2025, up 0.9% year-on-year, and a total of 4.36 million international tourists in Q1 2025, registering a 2.1% growth.

Yet this success in numbers belies the growing tension on the ground, where residents see infrastructure pushed to the brink, housing prices surging, and limited local resources overwhelmed.

Germany’s Tourism Boom and Backlash

Germany, too, is experiencing the impact of heavy tourism:

• In 2024, the country recorded 36 million total visitors, including 21.18 million international tourists between January and July
• July saw a surge in arrivals, boosted by the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament
• The country registered a record 433 million overnight stays between January and October 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels

Top source markets included:

• Netherlands: 4.8 million visitors
• Switzerland: 3.4 million
• Austria: 2.1 million

In Q1 2025, Germany saw 14.6 million international overnight stays, marking a 2.6% year-on-year decline. While international arrivals grew by 4.9%, the average length of stay dropped, contributing to the overall reduction in overnight stays, as per ETC Corporate.

Despite the minor decline, the tourism footprint remains substantial—and residents in Berlin are joining protests this Sunday to stand in solidarity with Spain’s movement.

Rising Housing Crisis and Social Inequality

Residents in tourist hotspots such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote argue that housing has become increasingly unaffordable, with landlords preferring to rent to tourists rather than locals. This short-term rental economy, largely driven by platforms like Airbnb, has been cited as a major reason for rising rents and displacement of residents.

Moreover, overburdened healthcare systems in the Canary Islands—designed for a much smaller permanent population—are now strained by the growing influx of tourists. Residents complain of longer wait times, fewer medical staff, and shrinking access to essential services.

Infrastructure Under Pressure

Island roads, water supply systems, and waste treatment facilities are failing to cope with the rising number of visitors. In areas like Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, where ecological sensitivity is high, the continuous flow of tourists has led to environmental degradation.

Activists also point to rampant construction projects, including massive hotel complexes and the proposed motor circuit in Tenerife, as direct threats to the islands’ limited land and biodiversity.

A Call for Sustainable Alternatives

Protestors are not demanding a full stop to tourism but are instead calling for smarter, more responsible travel policies. Key among their demands:

• A cap on tourist numbers in ecologically sensitive zones
• An environmental tax on visitors, similar to models used in Venice or Amsterdam
• A tourism development moratorium until long-term sustainability goals are met
• Legal protections for residents’ access to housing and healthcare

The campaign’s broader vision is to reposition tourism as a beneficial force rather than a destructive one—one that respects local cultures, protects ecosystems, and supports the well-being of host communities.

Berlin’s Solidarity Shows Cross-Border Concern

Berlin’s scheduled protest reflects the international dimensions of overtourism. Demonstrators in the German capital, gathering at Pariser Platz near the Brandenburg Gate, aim to pressure European policymakers to take a continental approach to managing tourism impacts.

The protest in Berlin is also symbolic of Germany’s historical ties with Spain, as millions of Germans travel annually to the Canary and Balearic Islands.

Labor Tensions Add Fuel to the Movement

During Easter 2025, around 80,000 hospitality workers from Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro walked out of their jobs over pay disputes and working conditions, underscoring a broader labor crisis in Spain’s tourism sector.

With protests now expanding into multiple countries and cities, there is growing speculation that these movements could evolve into a pan-European push for tourism reform.

Upcoming Protests and the Road Ahead

This Sunday’s demonstrations may only be the beginning. Organizers have announced additional protests for June 15 in Barcelona, Mallorca, and Valencia, aiming to maintain pressure throughout the summer travel season.

Policy experts believe that without immediate reform, the tourism-driven economic model in Spain and Germany may face a tipping point. Rising social unrest, infrastructure strain, and ecological damage could begin to undercut the very industry that has powered both countries’ economies.

Spain and Germany are approaching a breaking point as residents in the Canary Islands, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, and Berlin prepare for mass protests this Sunday, demanding urgent action against overtourism, housing crises, and environmental strain. The coordinated demonstrations reflect growing frustration over unsustainable tourism policies and unchecked development.

A Model at Breaking Point

Spain and Germany, two of the world’s most visited nations, are now also becoming epicenters of the anti-overtourism movement. As Canary Islanders march alongside citizens in Berlin, Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, a clear message will resonate: tourism without limits is no longer sustainable.

The May 18 protests mark more than a symbolic act—they are a wake-up call to national and European leaders that the social license for unchecked tourism is eroding fast.

What happens next will determine whether these countries can transition to a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable tourism model, or whether rising tensions will continue to escalate into the summer of 2025 and beyond.

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