Thousands of people protested on the streets of the city of Palma, on the island of Mallorca, in Spain against excessive tourism. The orders come ahead of the start of the European summer season, which attracts a crowd of visitors from all over the world to the Balearic Islands, known for their beautiful beaches.
“We want authorities to stop people who haven't lived here for more than five years from buying property and for controls to be imposed on holiday accommodation,” said Carme Reines, who is part of a movement that organized the protest.
Javier Carbonell, a real estate agent, said more than half of the rental properties were used for holiday rentals and were not affordable for Spanish residents.
“We want less mass tourism and more sustainable tourism,” said Carbonell.
After Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, home to famous Ibiza, were Spain's second most popular region for tourists last year, attracting 14.4 million visitors, Spain's National Statistics Institute said.
Tourism generates 45% of the Balearic Islands' gross domestic product, according to data from Exceltur, an industry organization.
Around 10,000 protesters took part in the act, according to the Spanish national police.
Source: CNN Brasil
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