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Anti-tourism protests in Spain 'backfire' leaving locals embarrassed UK holidaymakers have found themselves at the centre of demonstrations from angry EU residents.LifestyleLynn Love

Lifestyle Writer and James Rodger12:31, 04 Jun 2025Anti-tourism campaigners have been causing chaos for Spanish travellers in recent months(Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images) In recent month

anti-tourism campaigners have been causing chaos for Spanish travellers in their crusade to stop Brits buying homes in the country and over-running their towns with tourists. However,

despite the protesters best efforts to deter holidaymakers, destinations like the Canary Islands and the Balearics, have surged in popularity in recent weeks.

Recent data from TravelgateX showed that bookings to the Spanish islands were up by 10.1% in the last week compared to the previous one, and by a significant 29.7% when matched with the same

period last year.

‌ The Balearic Islands have climbed to become Spain's third most sought-after destination for holidays over the past seven days, securing 16% of bookings, Andalusia and Catalonia, came close

behind, both with 18%.

‌More travel storiesWarning to Canary Islands touristsStunning seaside town with amazing beachTurkey 'assaults' warning issued​Tourists to avoid popular holiday spot The figures also showed

nearly two in 10 of this week’s bookings nationwide were made around two months in advance and 18 per cent more than 90 days in advance.

Last-minute bookings (made the day before or on the day of travel) accounted for 10.4 per cent.

Article continues below One in two were made by couples and half of travellers (48.9 per cent) booked between two and five nights, while 25 per cent booked for just one night, reports

Birmingham Live.

Spaniards accounted for 55.5 per cent of the bookings, followed by the British with 18.8 per cent, Germans with 3.3 per cent and Portuguese with 2.8 per cent.

Anti-tourism protests in Barcelona(Image: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)‌ One local replied to the study fuming: "Who are TravelgateX? Never heard of them. I suspect that the

previous week they had nine bookings - and last week (being half-term holiday in the UK) their bookings rose to ten. Marvellous… … and risible."

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"Not Menorca - it's extremely quiet, worryingly quiet," a second wrote back to the study, after the data emerged this week.

‌ Another said: "We win again! The winningest winners in the history of winning." And another wrote back to say: "Come on now."

Frustrated locals are claiming the surge in demand for holiday rentals is pricing them out of the property market. Additional worries about rowdy tourists damaging the country's national

parks and causing traffic congestion have led to widespread protests across Spain, with disgruntled locals demanding that holidaymakers 'go home'.

Earlier this year, we reported on Spain's grim warning to tourists ahead of the busy summer season, as activists pledged to ramp up their actions against sun-seeking Brits.

‌ Anti-tourism protestors used Artificial Intelligence images to show how their beloved hometowns could look in the future if nothing changes.

Grim AI generated pictures of popular destinations in Soller, Majorca sparked concern. An Instagram page called "Welcome to Sollerland" featured imagined scenarios of Soller one day being

overrun with sun seekers.

In March, a chilling sign reading 'Kill A Tourist' was spotted in Tenerife. There were later reports of protesters going to extreme lengths to convey their message, including setting rental

cars on fire.

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