Anti-Tourism Protests in Spain: Activists Smear Excrement on Rental Property Lockboxes

Recent anti-tourism protests in Spain have escalated, with activists resorting to extreme measures to deter visitors. In Seville, several short-term rental properties have been targeted, their lockboxes smeared with excrement.

According to reports from the Spanish newspaper ABC, these incidents have been concentrated in the Andalusian capital. The targeted lockboxes, which contain keys for tourist apartments, were found covered in brown muck, signaling the growing frustration among locals.

This wave of protests coincides with a new proposal by the Seville city mayor to limit licenses for short-term rentals, such as those offered by Airbnb. The proposal aims to cap tourist apartments at 10 percent of the total accommodation in certain areas, a move intended to address the burgeoning problem of overtourism.

However, the proposed restrictions have not been universally welcomed. The main opposition party, PSOE, has blocked the bill, arguing that the measures do not go far enough in curbing the proliferation of tourist rentals. Public support for a crackdown on tourist apartments is growing, with hundreds of locals recently gathering in Seville to demand an end to Airbnb licenses.

The uncontrolled rise in tourist accommodations is driving up rents in the city center, forcing locals out. This issue is particularly acute in the vibrant Alameda district, where many of the targeted lockboxes were found. Seville is not alone in facing these challenges. Barcelona has also seen significant anti-tourism protests, with locals taking vigilante actions such as spraying visitors with water pistols. The Catalan capital has announced plans to eliminate all tourist rentals by 2028.

Other Spanish cities, including Palma, Malaga, and Valencia, have introduced measures to regulate tourist numbers. These measures include tourist taxes and limits on the number of holiday rentals. Despite these efforts, government statistics indicate a nine percent increase in the number of tourist apartments over the past year, with more than 340,000 now registered across Spain.