Scary detail in picture as furious Spanish locals unleash on tourists

A scary detail has emerged in images of the massive anti-tourism protests that unfolded in Europe.

A scary detail has emerged in images of the anti-tourism protests that unfolded in Europe.

One woman was pictured holding up an axe as furious protesters crowded tourists dining outside at a restaurant in Palma, a resort city on the popular Spanish island of Majorca.

Police were called to stand guard between the shouting protesters and the diners.

The chaos was part of a huge protest day happening across cities in Spain, Italy and Portugal on June 15.

Some locals feel foreigners are turning their cities into playgrounds while they are left behind with a housing crisis, rising rents and environmental impacts.

An anti-tourism protester holds up an axe while surrounding tourists dining in Palma, Spain on June 15, 2025. Picture: Solarpix

In Barcelona, protesters blasted water guns, let off smoke, and slapped stickers on shop fronts and hotels telling tourists to go home. They also taped the entrance of a popular youth hostel.

The Balearic Islands Government vice-president Antoni Costa called the behaviour seen in Palma as “unacceptable” on a local radio station, The Sun reported. But he insisted the angry group only made up a small minority of the Balearic people.

Mr Costa said: “This type of behaviour is not acceptable. This government condemns and rejects the actions of a small minority of people who rebuked tourists who were relaxing on a terrace having a drink or eating.”

He added: “Abandoning tourism would be madness. We’re a tourist economy and we’re proud to be so.

“I think people are deluding themselves if they think that in the Balearic Islands it’s possible to do mostly other things than tourism.

“What guarantees the future of tourism is to taking into account the social and environmental sustainability factor. Looking the other way is not the right way to go.

“We must implement policies that allow us to move from an economy that basically grows in volume to an economy that grows in value.”

Tourists sit in a restaurant on the popular Spanish island Majorca as locals protest against overtourism. Picture: AP Photo/Joan Mateu Parra

A sign reads ‘as you come, I have to go’. Picture: AP Photo/Joan Mateu Parra

Ahead of the big day of protests, a group on the island held up a double-decker sightseeing bus, let off flares and hung a banner from the bus.

A social media video showed a protester saying they disrupted the tour to denounce tourism and invite everyone to the protest the following day.

The June 15 protests — which also took place in San Sebastián, Minorca, Ibiza, Malaga, Granada, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Milan, Venice and Lisbon — followed a meeting of a coalition of activists called the Southern Europe Network Against Touristification in Barcelona in April.

Organisers had said the goal was not to attack or hate on tourists, rather draw attention to the toll mass tourism is taking on their cities, however tourists definitely ended up in the firing line.

A woman holds a sign reading ‘Tourists go home’ in Palma, Majorca. Picture: Jaime Reina / AFP

The problem with mass tourism

Popular destinations across the world have been desperately trying to find new ways to cope with a massive boom in tourism post-Covid and avoid the trend dubbed “overtourism”.

New taxes and fees have been introduced, caps have been put on visitor numbers, and new hotels and short-term rentals have been banned.

It’s not just in Europe either. Japan has urged Australians to explore the country beyond the typical tourist hotspots as visitor numbers reach record highs. About 920,000 Australians visited Japan in 2024, setting a new record. This year we’re expected to break the one million mark for the first time.

And Japan’s advice echoed that of Indonesia in 2023, which pleaded with Aussies to explore more of the country beyond Bali.

Demonstrators march through the streets of Palma, Majorca. Picture: Jaime Reina / AFP

Speaking to news.com.au ahead of the fresh wave of protests, Intrepid Travel’s Australian managing director Brett Mitchell said he understood the frustrations of people living in these tourist hotspots and getting the balance right was a real issue that needed to be dealt with.

The Melbourne-born global company is vocal about the need for a sustainable tourism industry that benefits communities and travellers.

Mr Mitchell said it was on everyone, including government, tour operators, cruise lines and airlines, to get around the table and work on solutions for responsible destination management.

“The reality is tourism is not going to slow down, it’s a mega trend and it’s only going to become bigger and bigger, and if the issue is not addressed it’s going to get worse and worse every year,” he said.

A demonstrator carrying a banner with the words ‘Lisbon against touristification’ shouts ‘go home’ at tourists riding in a tram in Lisbon, Portugal. Picture: AP Photo/Armando Franca

While tourism is vital to the local economies of these destinations — and more generally, in bringing the world together — Mr Mitchell said at peak times locals were being “pushed out” or having their “whole lifestyle completely turned on its head”.

“As a traveller, I think there’s a lot of things we can do,” he said.

“Travelling in smaller groups; we always believe there’s always a much better experience for locals and also you as a traveller.

“Look at the off seasons or shoulder seasons; it’s another really good way to try and avoid crowds.

“Getting off the beaten track; yes go and see these amazing iconic tourist spots but get there early and then move on and go and see other alternative areas and destinations.

“And then we really believe in trying to spend locally, so really try and do your research and make sure the money on the ground when you’re spending it in these countries is going to locally owned businesses and supply chains.”

An anti-tourism protester shoots a water pistol in Barcelona. Picture: AP Photo/Pau Venteo

Catalan regional police officers block protesters from advancing toward the Sagrada Familia Basilica. Picture: Lluis Gene / AFP

Foreigner crackdowns across the globe

Countries across the world are continuing to crack down on foreigners.

Donald Trump’s “enhanced vetting” for arrivals at US airports appears to be getting the most attention, but there is plenty more happening elsewhere.

Italy has changed its citizenship laws, making it significantly harder for Australians (and other foreigners) to get a passport by descent. You can no longer get citizenship if your great-grandparents were born there, it has to be a parent or grandparent.

Venice is doubling its entry free for day-trippers this season and expanding the days it applies to. The fee, first introduced a year ago, was 5 euros ($9) and is now 10 euros ($18) for any visitors who don’t book more than four days in advance.

Spain has ended its “golden visa” that allowed non-EU citizens to get residency by buying property worth more than 500,000 euros, which closes off a pathway to Spanish citizenship.

Meanwhile, the city of Malaga has prohibited new holiday rental properties in 43 neighbourhoods for three years and a court has backed Barcelona’s ban on short-term holiday rentals from 2028. The island of Ibiza is now allowing no more than two cruises to be docked at the same time.

The UK began requiring Australians, and a bunch of other countries who were previously exempt, to complete an application and pay a fee to enter. The EU will do the same but has delayed implementing the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system for 30 European countries multiple times, with the latest timeline indicating late 2026.

Scotland’s capital Edinburgh has revealed next year it will join a number of cities now charging a tourist tax on overnight accommodation. A 5 per cent charge will be added.

In Japan, the latest plan for hotspot Kyoto is to raise the historical city’s accommodation tax tenfold — from 200-1000 yen ($2 to $11) per night, depending on the price of the lodging, to between 2000 and 10,000 yen ($22 to $115) per night.

Meanwhile, the mandatory fee for hiking Mount Fuji has doubled to 4000 yen ($46) per person for the peak season this year. A fee and requirement to book a limited spot was first introduced last year.

Nepal has also hiked the permit fee to summit Mount Everest during peak season by 36 per cent. It will now cost $US15,000 ($25,150), up from $US11,000 ($18,450).

Last year, notable changes in holiday hotspots included Bali introducing a $15 fee to enter the wildly popular Indonesian island, Greece introducing a cap on visitor numbers to the famed Acropolis in Athens, and Amsterdam in the Netherlands banning new hotels from being built.