Thousands of Spanish protesters take to the streets as they rage at tourism takeover
Thousands of furious protesters have demanded more affordable housing in Spain amid growing anger from locals over tourism.
Spaniards – who feel they being priced out of the market – marched through Madrid on Sunday.
Campaigners demanded lower housing rental prices and better living conditions under the slogan: “Housing is a right, not a business.”
The Spanish government said 12,000 people took part in the protest.
Nurse Blanca Prieto claimed that tourists are “forcing” locals out of their own cities.
She said: “Spaniards cannot live in their own cities. They are forcing us out of the cities.
“The government has to regulate prices, regulate housing.”
Spain clamped down on short-term and seasonal holiday lettings in July.
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It plans to investigate listings on platforms such as Airbnb ABNB.O and Booking.com BKNG.O to verify if they have licences.
The country has been fighting to find a balance of promoting tourism, an essential driver of its economy, and responding to citizens’ concerns.
Another demonstration in Barcelona took place on Sunday in protest against the America’s Cup yachting race.
Campaigners blamed the international sporting event for pushing up rental prices and bringing more tourists into an overcrowded city.
Locals across Spain have staged anti-tourism protests over recent months, with 15,000 protesters taking to the streets in Palma, Majorca in May.
Tourists were urged by holiday companies to look elsewhere when booking their next trip, with TUI announcing earlier this summer that the Balearic Islands have “reached capacity”.
Residents of the Canary Islands and Malaga have also staged protests this year against the rise in tourist rentals.