Spain could break holidaymaker records this summer as industry figures warn that a new record for foreign arrivals may be set. The European country hosted a record-breaking 97 million international visitors last year, and saw 9.1 million tourists arrive in April alone — the highest ever for that month.
Tourism Leaders Optimistic
Tourism bosses, including Fede Fuster, president of the Benidorm tourism association, have welcomed the prospect of Spain surpassing France to become the world's leading holiday destination. Mr. Fuster told the BBC: "I think this is going to be a great year. I'm optimistic, we're talking about reaching 100 million tourists in Spain. If we keep growing like this, we're going to be number one very soon."
The upward trend, which Mr. Fuster linked to the Middle East conflict diverting travelers from riskier destinations such as Turkey and Egypt, could heighten hostility between locals and tourists. Thousands of people took to the streets across Spain last year in protest against overtourism.
Protests and Backlash
Holidaymakers were squirted with water pistols and refused entry to shops in cities like Barcelona as protests erupted last summer. Residents frustrated by congestion, housing market pressure, and strain on local infrastructure also demonstrated in popular Balearic Island destinations Majorca and Menorca on numerous occasions.
While local officials have tried to reduce tensions with measures including limiting cruise ship arrivals and introducing strict rules on unruly tourist behavior, the backlash has not significantly dented global demand. Anti-tourism groups have scheduled a fresh wave of protests for the coming months, including plans to "collapse" Majorca's capital, Palma, on July 26.
Voices of Dissent
David Comas, spokesperson for the Menys Turisme Més Vida ('Less tourism, more life') group, which organized previous demonstrations, warned that the archipelago was heading for a "decisive" summer. "We foresee it will be a very difficult summer for Majorcans," he said in a statement. "Majorca has been transformed into a theme park where the right to be able to live is violated."
Protests organized by the group in recent years are thought to have drawn up to 50,000 participants, calling for changes including a 50% reduction in rental prices for locals and action to address the island's increasingly unstable labor market.
Balancing Tourism and Local Life
Mr. Fuster acknowledged the impact of tourism on daily life: "We say we are the industry of happiness, but we also have to realize that we impact the normal life of citizens. The way we welcome people and care about them and our happiness, the way we live, I think that's something the tourist really appreciates — that's the key. That's why we have to work a lot in these places, mostly in cities, where there is a feeling of not welcoming tourists. It's very important for us because if we lose that, we're dead."
