In Ibiza, a popular Spanish island destination, residents are protesting against overtourism, which they say is causing a collapse in their quality of life.

Ibiza residents are protesting against overtourism, which they say is overwhelming the island and driving locals out due to skyrocketing housing costs fueled by illegal short-term rentals on platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com.

Essential workers such as nurses and police officers are living in cars and caravans, medical treatments are delayed due to doctors being unable to afford housing on the island, and one teacher reportedly commutes from Mallorca to Ibiza 40 times a month because she “cannot afford Ibiza’s housing costs,” according to EuroNews.

The Prou Ibiza platform has called for a rally on May 24, starting at 8:00 PM in front of the Consell de Ibiza headquarters (Avenida de España) to protest against overtourism and demand that authorities implement measures to reduce it.

Protesters held signs reading, “No to an island of concrete” and “Tourism, yes, but not like this,” The Times reported, as organizers pushed for measures to protect residents being priced out by luxury rentals overtaking affordable housing on the island.

Locals, including essential workers like nurses and police officers, are struggling with unaffordable housing, with some forced to live in cars or caravans, while others, like a teacher commuting 40 times a month from Mallorca, cannot afford to reside on the island. The influx of over 3 million tourists annually to Ibiza, part of the Balearic Islands’ 19 million visitors, has driven up housing costs and strained public services, prompting residents to feel that “everything is collapsing.”

The protests reflect broader anti-tourism sentiment across Spain, with similar demonstrations in Tenerife, Málaga, and Barcelona. Residents are frustrated by the housing crisis fueled by short-term rentals on platforms like Airbnb, which prioritize tourists over locals. Rafael Jimenez, a former Ibiza police officer who left the island, described how tourism is “taking public places” and making life prohibitively expensive. The Balearic Islands’ government has responded by cracking down on illegal rentals, imposing fines up to €40,000, and introducing measures like vehicle caps and restrictions on street drinking to curb overtourism. However, locals argue that these steps are insufficient, with simultaneous protests planned in Mallorca and Menorca, signaling a growing movement to demand sustainable tourism practices that prioritize residents’ welfare.

Mariano Juan, vice-president of Ibiza’s governing consell, acknowledges the concerns behind Friday’s protest but argues that the issue isn’t tourism itself, but illegal tourism. He notes that Ibiza’s licensed tourist capacity has decreased over the past 20 years, from approximately 109,000 beds to just under 100,000, as smaller hotels have closed or reduced rooms to prioritize quality over quantity.

“If the group behind the protest is pushing to cut legal tourist spots, they’re missing the real issue: the illegal market,” Juan says. “The problem lies in the thousands of Airbnb listings and hundreds on Booking.com, which have exploded since social media made illegal rentals easier to find.”

To combat overtourism, Juan emphasizes a “relentless crackdown on illegal tourist rentals.” The Ibiza government has imposed fines of €40,000 for advertising illegal lets, collecting over €2 million in penalties and pursuing nearly 200 cases against illegal tourist flats on various platforms. The consell is also collaborating with Airbnb to identify illicit landlords and deploying council inspectors to make undercover bookings.

Additionally, Juan highlights upcoming regional parliament discussions on limiting vehicle access to the island via ferries and notes efforts to attract a different type of visitor to alleviate tourism pressures.

In a statement posted on social media, Prou Ibiza highlights that the protest focuses “primarily on two key points.” First, “the urgent need to create and enforce a vehicle entry restriction law, following the model of our sister island, Formentera.” Additionally, they propose “a set of measures including ensuring the continuation of the tourism moratorium, incentives for establishments that reduce hotel capacity, as well as new protections for residents and crackdowns on illegal tourism offerings.”

The Consell de Ibiza is developing a project to control vehicle access to the island during the summer months, inspired by the system already in place in Formentera.

The platform considers it “essential to achieve a balance between residents and tourists, and that’s why we believe the legitimate expression of Ibiza’s people can ensure a sustainable future for all.”

The Example of Ses Salines In this regard, they recall past mobilizations organized by other conservationist groups, such as GEN and the Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs (“we need positive and successful precedents,” they explain), which have, for instance, protected Ses Salines for twenty years. This protected area, they warn, “is now at risk due to overcrowding.”

For these reasons, Prou Ibiza “encourages families, young people, adults, and everyone who values a respectful way of life and wishes to be treated with respect to attend [the rally] so that the authorities truly feel the pressure that makes us say: Ibiza can’t take any more!”

Translated into English, from Ibiza News.