Rental car tires were recently vandalized in Spain as part of a protest against tourism in the area. The mayor of Artà , a tourist town in Majorca, expressed concern over these incidents. Artà , known for its scenic beauty and peaceful ambiance, has witnessed protests involving graffiti on buildings, houses, and vehicles, including slashing of rental car tires. Messages like ‘Tourists go home’ have appeared on walls in Artà and a road leading to Palma, a popular tourist destination.
The local Civil Guard has been informed about the vandalism, which reportedly affected multiple rental cars. Mayor Manolo Galán of Artà expressed regret over the incident and condemned such acts against tourism, calling them “acts of vandalism.” He emphasized that while people may have varying opinions on tourism saturation, resorting to vandalism is unacceptable.
Anti-tourism sentiments have been growing in Spain since the reopening of travel post-pandemic. The country experienced a significant increase in international visitors in August, with 11.3 million tourists, marking a 2.9% rise from the same period in 2024. July also saw a record-breaking number of foreign arrivals at 11 million, a 1.6% year-on-year increase. The total influx of tourists in August and July reached 22.3 million, surpassing the previous year’s figure.
Spain welcomed nearly 66.8 million international tourists in the first eight months of 2025, marking a 3.9% increase compared to the same period in the previous year. To address concerns about tourism’s impact on local communities, the Spanish government removed around 53,000 tourist flats from the Single Register of Tourist and Seasonal Rentals, converting them into permanent rentals for residents.
Efforts to regulate tourism also include stricter controls on drinking and party boats in the Balearic Islands and plans in Barcelona to phase out short-term tourist apartments by 2028. These actions aim to mitigate the negative effects of tourism on local residents and communities.