Australian travel agents should alert clients to significant anti-tourism demonstrations scheduled across Southern Europe on 15 June 2025.
Organised by the Southern Europe Network Against Touristification (SET), these protests are planned in major tourist destinations including Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Valencia, Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián, Santander, Pamplona, Venice, Palermo and Lisbon.
Local residents and activist groups are raising concerns about the overcrowding of popular tourist areas, a housing crisis driven by short-term rentals, environmental degradation, and the erosion of local cultures.
In previous protests, activists have used symbolic acts like spraying water at tourists to draw attention to these issues. Demonstrations may include marches, gatherings in city centres, and blockades of tour buses, airports and landmarks.
Travel agents should advise clients to monitor local news and official advisories, be prepared for possible disruptions to transport and access to tourist sites, and to respect the local sentiment behind these protests. Alternative destinations or off-peak travel times may be worth considering.
While the protests are not targeted at individual tourists, they do highlight growing tensions around the sustainability of mass tourism.
