British holidaymakers are steering clear of popular Spanish destinations amid fears of being targeted by anti-tourism activists armed with water pistols, according to travel industry leaders.
Tourism Industry Sounds Alarm
Mark Meader, vice-president of the US ASTA travel association, revealed at a recent summit in Jaén, Andalusia that scenes of protesters firing water pistols at tourists have discouraged visitors, including Americans, from travelling to Barcelona. The warning comes as Spain's tourism industry records what experts describe as a sharp slump this year following widespread anti-tourism demonstrations across the country during summer.
Industry leaders directly attribute part of the downturn to the protests, which they say have effectively scared off potential travellers. The situation has become so concerning that the UK-based travel body ABTA has issued formal guidance to its members on how to reassure anxious clients about visiting Spain.
Wave of Anti-Tourism Anger
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Barcelona, Mallorca and Tenerife earlier this year, voicing anger about mass tourism driving up rents, pricing local residents out of their neighbourhoods and overwhelming city centres. In Barcelona, activists marched through popular tourist zones holding placards and squirting passing sightseers with water pistols in symbolic protests against overtourism.
Susan Deer, ABTA's director of institutional relations, confirmed that British travel agencies are increasingly fielding questions from customers who have seen extensive anti-tourism coverage in UK media over the past 18 months. However, she stressed that despite the alarming headlines, visitor numbers to Spain have remained largely stable overall.
Economic Impact Bites
The protests have coincided with worrying economic indicators for Spain's crucial tourism sector. Industry group Exceltur reported in October that growth in Spain's tourism industry has significantly declined, warning that the sector's contribution to this year's economic growth will be weaker than initially projected.
Exceltur now expects all tourism-related activity in the world's second most-visited country to grow by just 2.8% in 2025, a substantial revision downwards from the 3.3% growth estimated in July and a dramatic drop from last year's 5.5% expansion. The group estimates that tourism will contribute just 13.1% to Spain's gross domestic product this year, below its initial forecast of 13.5%.
Exceltur Vice President Oscar Perelli told reporters that tourism is no longer the main driver of the Spanish economy, with the sector unlikely to significantly exceed Spain's expected overall economic growth of 2.6%. The number of international tourists may also fall short of the 100 million projected by the World Travel and Tourism Council earlier this year.
Despite these challenges, industry representatives maintain that negative media coverage has played a significant role in discouraging tourists. Meader noted that while travel agencies have an opportunity to educate consumers in a complicated world, the reports have undoubtedly unsettled some travellers, with some Americans specifically expressing fear about visiting Barcelona due to water pistol concerns.
