Spain, Italy and France Lead European Anti‑Tourism Protests

A new study by the digital‑entertainment platform JB.com ranks Spain, Italy and France as the European countries with the strongest public opposition to mass tourism. The analysis, covering 30 nations, links the intensity of protests, media coverage, tourism tax levels and visitor‑to‑resident ratios.

Tourist arrivals are set to rise sharply: Spain expects a 3.4 % increase in the first four months of 2026 and a further 7.1 % jump in international flight passengers in June compared with last year; Italy and France project 12 % and 2.6 % growth respectively. The surge has sparked demonstrations in more than 40 Spanish cities, notably Barcelona, where activists displayed signs reading “Ο τουρισμός σκοτώνει τη Βαρκελώνη” (“Tourism kills Barcelona”) and used water‑sprayers on tourist sites. Italian cities such as Venice, Rome, Florence, Naples and Milan have also seen protests, with activists sabotaging key‑box locks used by short‑term rental owners. Venice has re‑introduced weekend taxes for day‑visitors during April to July.

France reports nationwide rallies in Marseille, Nice and Paris, alongside growing anti‑cruise‑ship activism. By contrast, Cyprus and Albania rank as the most tourist‑friendly European nations, recording few or no anti‑tourism demonstrations.