Thousands of people have taken to the streets in cities across Spain to protest against rising rents and a severe lack of affordable housing, amidst a crisis exacerbated by the country’s tourism boom. Demonstrations were organized by housing activists and supported by Spain’s main labor unions in cities like Madrid and Barcelona.
In Madrid, over 150,000 protesters marched through the city center, according to local tenants’ unions. Participants rattled keys and held signs against short-term rentals, chanting to remove Airbnb from their neighborhoods. The situation is dire, with average Spanish rents having doubled and house prices surging by over 44% over the past decade. The number of available rental properties has reduced by half since the 2020 pandemic, while short-term rentals in major cities and coastal areas have increased rapidly.
A 65-year-old resident of Madrid’s Lavapies neighborhood reported that nearly 100 families in her block are facing eviction as their rental contracts are not being renewed. “They’re kicking all of us out to make tourist flats,” she said, reflecting the struggle many face in finding affordable housing.
A 26-year-old lawyer in Madrid, Mari Sanchez, who currently lives with four others, expressed her frustration, stating that her rent consumes 30-40% of her salary, leaving her with no chance to save or invest.
In Palma, Mallorca, protesters marched with banners saying “Mallorca is not for sale” and “no houses without people, nor people without houses,” highlighting the cultural and social impact of the tourism influx.
Local governments are taking action, with Barcelona’s city government pledging to phase out its 10,000 permits for short-term lets, primarily those listed on platforms like Airbnb, by 2028. Despite these efforts, Spain welcomed a record 94 million tourists in 2024, making it the second most-visited country worldwide, after France. The balance between tourism and housing affordability continues to be a contentious issue in Spain.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/spain-protests-hundreds-of-thousands-march-against-housing-crisis-fuelled-by-tourism-boom-13342602
