Protests continue in Barcelona, Spain. More than 150 social movements have taken to the streets of the city demanding tough measures to combat excessive tourism. Learn more about how mass protests can affect tourists

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Barcelona hosted a large protest against mass tourism and its negative impact on the city. Under the slogan "Enough! Let's limit tourism", about 2,800 people marched along the waterfront, calling for a new economic model. 

The protesters demanded a reduction in the number of tourists coming to the city each year. They carried placards with the words "Reduce tourism immediately!" and chanted slogans such as "Tourists out of our neighborhood", stopping in front of hotels. Currently, the largest number of tourists arrive in Barcelona from Germany, France, and the UK.

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How can mass protests affect tourism in Barcelona?

Thousands of Barcelona residents, armed with water pistols, took to the streets of the city's main tourist areas in a large-scale protest against mass tourism. Locals in the city center chanted "Tourists, go home" and held placards with the words "Enough! Let's limit tourism". Some protesters even sprayed tourists with water pistols as they sat in restaurants in the most popular tourist areas.

The protesters are demanding a new economic model to reduce the annual flow of tourists and address the high cost of living. Over the past 10 years, rents in Barcelona have risen by 68% and the cost of buying houses by 38%. Marti Cuzo, spokesperson for the Gothic Quarter Neighborhood Association and activist against excessive tourism, said: "We want the city's economic model to prioritize other, much more equitable economies. And to do that, we think we need to reduce tourism."

Currently, tourism accounts for 14% of Barcelona's GDP and provides more than 150 thousand jobs. However, the city authorities have already announced plans to raise the tourist tax again, as the city cannot cope with excessive tourism. It is also planned to introduce a ban on private rental of housing to tourists, but this decision will take effect only in five years. Obviously, the protesters are not ready to wait that long and demand immediate changes.

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