In 2024, more than 90 million foreign tourists made trips to various parts of Spain. And the numbers are only projected to get higher and higher over the next 15 years. While this has anyone profiting from the tourism sector jumping for joy, an increasing majority of the Spanish population seems to be less happy about the situation. Last year saw massive demonstrations in locations that attract heavy tourist interest from around the world.
The crux of the issue is the negative impact overtourism is having on many aspects of the country. Roughly 48 million people live in Spain. That means that tourists outnumber citizens almost two to one throughout the year. This massive influx of people is putting an incredible strain on all of the country's services, which tourists regularly utilize but do not contribute to in any substantial fashion.
Additionally, the cost of living has gone up dramatically with affordable housing for locals being a huge problem authorities are struggling to address. A major issues is foreigners from other European countries, predominantly the United Kingdom, buying vacation homes in Spain. On top of that, the proliferation of companies like Airbnb are pushing the housing market to its limit. Spanish authorities continue to implement new measures to deal with the problems.
Unfortunately, many Spanish residents see the government's efforts to be insubstantial. Tourists planning Spanish vacations should expect continuing demonstrations and strikes related to overtourism. They can also expect the reception from locals in many regions and cities to be frosty at best. There is a significant contingent of Spanish citizens who would like to see the government limit, if not outright ban, tourists in some parts of the country. It is unlikely the government would do that.