Thousands took to the bustling streets of Madrid on Sunday in a cry against the ruinous impacts of over-tourism and online accommodation giants like Airbnb, which are blamed for community disruptions across Spain’s capital and beyond. Placards were waved emphatically with the message “housing is a right, not a business,” and calls reverberated for action against avaricious landlords.
Anger is continuing to grow in the county, as it appears the Spanish authorities’ attempts to calm discontent with new regulations and charges on tourists have done little to soothe those being edged out by an avalanche of short-stay Airbnb lets. Organisers claimed an impressive turnout of 150,000 demonstrators, but police estimates suggested a figure closer to 22,000 protestors.
Barcelona, another touristic hotspot in Spain, was also gripped by protests the same day. Locals there protested against their city officers electing to stage the Americas Cup yacht race, inciting the ire of inhabitants who argue that this will only drag more sightseers into an already jam-packed metropolis besieged by more than 12 million visitors annually.
Uproar is intensifying in Spain, long cherished by Britons for its sun-kissed beaches and relaxing holidays, as the influx of tourists post-pandemic fuels a severe housing crisis. As holiday lets gobble up properties, residents face soaring rental costs, with towns and cities nationwide feeling the squeeze.
The struggle for affordable homes was echoed loudly on the streets of Madrid, where frustrated locals have reached their limit. DW reveals that competitive tension between inhabitants and vacationers is escalating, driving rent prices to eye-watering levels, reports the Mirror.
Amidst the clamour at a recent demonstration, 30 year old Marta Morales made her stance crystal clear: “What cannot happen is that prices are as they are. If to get them down we have to go on strike, I think it is understandable and we are all in this.”
Passionate young adults and students, severely stung by the surge in temporary accommodations, were a dominant force at these protests. Many among them demand Housing Minister Isabel Rodriguez’s resignation, tired of her perceived inaction against the crisis.
Activists highlight a grim statistic to underscore their plight: A Madrid worker now forks out half of their annual salary on rent, as stagnant wages for the less affluent, particularly young earners, make the economic crisis worse.