Thousands protest mass tourism and housing crisis in Mallorca

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Palma de Mallorca on Sunday evening to protest, under the slogan "Mallorca am Limit," against the consequences of mass tourism and the strained housing market.

Protest in Palma

According to the Mallorcan police, around 25,000 participants gathered in the capital Palma, while the organizers spoke of up to 40,000 people. It was the third consecutive protest organized by the initiative "Menys Turisme, Més Vida" (Less Tourism, More Life), which had called a major demonstration this year. A total of around 50 initiatives supported the call.

The demonstrators marched with drums and whistles through the city center toward Plaza de España. Handmade placards read "Mallorca overbooked," "Keine Kapazität mehr," and "Der Touristen-Tsunami löscht uns aus." Another sign was aimed directly at foreign visitors: "Touristen geht nach Hause." As a symbol of protest, activists carried an oversized cruise ship made of papier-mâché through the streets.

Housing crisis on the island

At the center of the demonstration was the housing crisis, which, according to the organizers, has reached unprecedented proportions. Rents in the Balearics have risen by more than 150 percent over the past ten years. An owner-occupied apartment of 60 to 70 square meters now costs at least 300,000 euros, and a house is rarely available for less than 500,000 euros. At the same time, roughly one in three properties on the island is sold to foreign buyers, the organizers said.

Just how precarious the situation is even for working people was described by 35-year-old pharmacist Marta Valles to WDR. She lives in a "Es ist ein Zimmer, hier verbringen wir unser Leben," Valles told WDR resignedly. Working full-time, she earns just under 1,200 euros net per month. "Ich suche weder eine Villa noch etwas sehr Großes, sondern etwas Einfaches," said Valles. Many workers in tourism, retail, and healthcare on the island can often afford only a shared room, while others live in trailer settlements or slums.

Demands of the demonstrators

The demonstrators called for an end to mass tourism in the high season and a cap on visitor numbers. "Der Tourismus habe die Grenzen der Insel längst übersritten," one participant said. Another put it this way: "Wir protestieren, damit endlich wieder Ordnung in dieses Chaos kommt." Concern for the environment also drove many into the streets. "Wir erleben jeden Tag, wie die Ressourcen schwinden. Das betrifft uns wirklich alle," one demonstrator said.

A spokesperson for the initiative declared: "Wir glauben, ein anderes Tourismusmodell ist möglich. Diese Überfüllung muss nicht sein. Uns ist Qualität wichtiger als Masse." Another demonstrator pointed to the loss of everyday space: "Ferienvermietung, Überfüllung: Wir kommen nicht mal mehr an den Strand. Der Winter mag den Mallorquinern gehören, der Sommer nicht."

Political reactions

According to the organizers, more than 100,000 apartments in Mallorca are used legally and illegally for tourism. In 2025, the island had reached a new record with more than 13 million tourists. The protest took place in the middle of peak travel season. At the same time, a solar eclipse expected on August 12 was anticipated to trigger another rush of visitors to the island.

At a rally, the German-Mallorcan singer Maria Hein was to sing the Mallorcan anthem "La Balanguera." The organizers see the island's tourism model spiraling out of control and are calling for a change of course. One protester summed up the mood: "Wir Einheimischen müssen doch auch auf unserem Land leben können. Verkehr, Klimawandel, Abgase, verschwendete Ressourcen - mehr als genug Gründe, um auf die Straße zu gehen, zu sagen: 'Jetzt ist Schluss.'"

Background: Mass tourism in Europe

The political debate over measures is already underway. The conservative government of the Balearics has banned the construction of new tourist vacation apartments in multi-family buildings and is planning a cap on cars on the islands. Organizers called for further steps to reduce the share of apartments used for tourism and to protect affordable housing.

The protest is part of a growing movement against mass tourism in Southern Europe. Similar demonstrations have been held in recent years in Barcelona, the Canary Islands, and Venice, among others. It is also not the first protest of its kind in Mallorca. With regional elections in the Balearics a year away, the issue is likely to continue shaping the political debate on the island.

The organizers announced that they would bring their demands to policymakers and the public. They see the situation on the island at a turning point. How many people will take to the streets in the future also depends on whether the government takes concrete steps against the housing crisis and toward a more sustainable tourism model, they said.

Outlook

Among the demonstrators were, according to reporters, many young families, students, and employees from the tourism industry itself. They made clear that the criticism of mass tourism is not directed against individual visitors, but against an economic model that, in their view, threatens the livelihoods of the island's population.

The coming weeks are considered decisive: With the solar eclipse on August 12 and the still-full vacation calendar in view, observers expect the protests to continue. Organizers did not rule out further actions.

Overall, the demonstration showed broad societal mobilization against the consequences of mass tourism. The combination of rising rents, scarce housing, environmental pressures, and the impression of an overloaded infrastructure has prompted many people to take part in protests for the first time or once again, a spokesperson said at the close.