While visitor numbers this summer are expected to be higher than before the pandemic, it seems some residents in the city of Málaga are less than impressed.  A campaign reported in the British press places the cause of the upset firmly on the effect of mass tourism on property prices.

Graffiti and stickers have been seen on buildings with comments such as “I used to live here” and “This used to be my house.”  The action appears to follow the decision of many landlords to evict long-term residents so that their properties can be “repurposed” for us as short-term tourist lets.  Some such accommodations which now display the blue and white AT (Apartamento Turistica) logo have had the signs defaced with crude additions in protest at the situation. 

A spokesman for the city’s opposition PSOE party in the city has claimed it is, “practically impossible to find a residential building which hasn’t got a padlock and passcode,” making in inaccessible to anyone but paying tourists.  It blames the PP-controlled city council for failing to help residents who are being, “expelled from their own homes.”

However, a local lawyer, has been widely quoted criticising the campaign.  Juan Luis Gomez has pointed out that tourism is essential to the city’s survival. “It’s one thing to regulate tourism and another to reject tourism,” he said.

Similar protests have been reported in recent weeks from Tenerife with graffiti in English spotted reading “My misery if your paradise” and “Average salary in the Canary Islands is 1,200 euros.”  Authorities in Mallorca have also reported major protests against tourism with attacks on coaches carrying tourists and tyres slashed on rental bicycles.