Brits planning a trip to the Balearic Islands this summer should be aware of potential anti-tourism protests scheduled across the region, including in Majorca and Menorca.

Activists in the popular holiday destinations are threatening to bring key areas of Majorca to a standstill on July 26, as they gear up for another wave of demonstrations against mass tourism. Meanwhile, protesters in Menorca have marches pencilled in for June 13.

More than 50 organisations across the sought-after holiday hotspots have issued a rallying call, declaring their intention to "collapse" Mallorca's capital of Palma.

The demonstrations are being co-ordinated by "Menys turisme, mes vida" ("Less tourism, more life"), the group that spearheaded widespread protests in 2024. Organisers have warned that this year's rallies could surpass previous turnouts, urging local residents to come out in force on the day. In Majorca, the principal protests are expected to converge at the foot of Palma's iconic cathedral — a hugely popular destination for cruise passengers who disembark and explore the surrounding area.

Group spokesman David Comas cautioned that the Balearic Islands are heading towards a "decisive" and extraordinarily challenging summer. He highlighted that, alongside the region's existing structural pressures, this year brings an additional extraordinary factor — a total solar eclipse on August 12th, an astronomical spectacle that has sent forecasts for visitor numbers soaring. "We foresee that it will be a very difficult summer for Majorcans," said the spokesman. "By the day of the eclipse, hotel reservations are already completely full, which will completely collapse the island."

The protests are not solely focused on the sheer number of visitors, but also on the direct impact that the tourism model has on the everyday lives of local residents. Menys Turisme, més vida claims thousands of workers are in a state of "maximum vulnerability", with the island's housing crisis a key concern. David Comas says as a result, Majorca "has been transformed into a theme park where the right to be able to live is violated".

It is not only residents of the Balearic Islands who have been voicing their opposition to the effects of mass tourism in recent years.

Separate demonstrations have seen protesters deploying red and white tape alongside unofficial warning signs, apparently in an effort to discourage tourists from visiting certain locations. Graffiti bearing slogans such as "Tourists go home" has also appeared across various parts of the island. In 2024, widespread demonstrations occurred across the Canary Islands, particularly in popular destinations such as Tenerife. Protesters aren't primarily targeting tourists themselves, but instead highlighting how mass tourism affects the islands, claiming it hampers locals' access to housing while straining the islands' overall infrastructure. Throughout the demonstrations, campaigners have consistently urged authorities to consider implementing measures such as visitor limits or tourism levies.

Some residents reported at the time being forced from their homes by landlords keen to convert their properties into tourist accommodation, while others simply cannot meet rental costs, inflated by tourist demand, with appeals for authorities to examine the housing crisis and potentially impose tighter regulations around holiday properties and short-term lettings.