Residents in Barcelona, Madrid, and other Spanish cities have taken to the streets in large numbers to challenge rising housing prices. The unrest stems from a housing affordability crisis, driven partly by short-term vacation rentals, an issue Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has publicly addressed. Locals contend that mass tourism has made it difficult to find affordable housing, as real estate companies convert apartments into profitable vacation stays. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently discussed the matter at an event in Barcelona.
The volume of visitors is substantial. The Barcelona Tourism Observatory reported that Barcelona and the surrounding region received 26.1 million visitors in 2025, generating an estimated $15.4 billion in direct tourism spending. In response to this pressure, federal and local governments are working to implement changes. José Antonio Donaire, the commissioner for sustainable tourism, told The New York Times that Barcelona started rethinking its tourism strategy in 2017. He noted that the city's current message is: "Not one tourist more."
The crisis gained a specific face in September with the forced eviction of María del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old Spanish pensioner. Following her death on Oct. 7, thousands of people marched in Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Málaga, and other cities.
Short-term rentals are a central point of contention. On April 1, Barcelona merged a flat $5.60 (€5.00) city surcharge with the regional Catalan tourist tax. The Barcelona City Council stated this created one of Europe's highest visitor taxes. The Catalan Tax Agency indicated that this move raised the total overnight tax for hotel guests to between $7.84 (€7.00) and $13.44 (€12.00) per person, per night. Additionally, in September 2026, Barcelona finalized plans to limit short-stay cruise tourism. The city council initially approved raising the municipal tourist tax surcharge for these visitors to the legal maximum of $27 per day, according to the official city council portal.
Travel writer Jordi Lippe-McGraw, who moved from New York City to Barcelona six weeks ago, told Fox News Digital that searching for an apartment highlighted the competitive nature of the housing market. She described the city as having high demand and pressure on available housing. Lippe-McGraw observed that while tourist areas are crowded, her neighborhood remains largely unaffected by protests. She acknowledged prior awareness of anti-tourist sentiment but noted that locals have been welcoming to her family in daily interactions.
Lippe-McGraw emphasized the importance of respecting local customs and learning the language. She questioned how cities determine which visitors are permitted to enter popular destinations like Venice or Barcelona.