Protests against 'overtourism' were held in major tourist cities in Spain and Italy. As the protests intensified, some tourists faced unfortunate incidents, including Korean tourists.
According to The New York Times (NYT), on the 15th (local time), about 600 demonstrators marched in downtown Barcelona holding placards with slogans like 'tourists go home.' The protesters sprayed water guns at tourists they encountered on the street and clashed with hotel staff, even setting off smoke grenades.
In front of a Louis Vuitton store, a scene was captured where a Korean tourist was hit by the protester’s water gun, protesting, 'It is wrong to treat us like animals.'
The protest continued through the city center, chanting slogans like 'Your vacation is my suffering,' reaching the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, where it was ultimately halted by the police.
Protests against overtourism were held not only in Barcelona but also throughout Spain in places like Ibiza, Malaga, Mallorca, and Granada, as well as in Italian cities such as Naples, Milan, Venice, Genoa, and Palermo. In Mallorca, protesters blocked tourist buses and shot flares, while in Genoa, they dragged travel luggage intentionally to create noise, expressing their resentment toward tourists.
Civic organizations leading the protests claimed, 'The current tourism model does not bring economic prosperity but leads to problems like the housing crisis.' They argued that the influx of tourists has led to a surge in short-term rentals like Airbnb, causing homeowners to stop long-term rentals or sharply increase rents, resulting in low-income residents being pushed out.
In fact, while Barcelona has a population of 1.6 million, the number of tourists reached 26 million last year.
Previously, Barcelona announced plans to completely ban apartment rentals for tourists by 2028, and Venice instituted an entrance fee to the city. Additionally, Greece's Santorini and Belgium's Bruges are also implementing tourism regulations.
In Spain, the tourism industry accounts for over 12% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and is a key industry. It is estimated that tourism expenditure in Europe will reach $838 billion (approximately 1.144 trillion won) this year.