Anti-tourism activists in Mallorca may have become more of a nuisance to their own cause of trying to push back against tourism and property investors than a serious force in the public arena.

A controversial protest manual, circulated ahead of demonstrations planned for 26 July, has triggered police scrutiny and condemnation from politicians, business groups, unions and environmentalists. For foreign owners, buyers and investors, the episode is less a threat than a reminder that anti-tourism politics in Mallorca often has the property market in its sights too.

A protest movement trips over itself

The so-called Manual d’acció contra la turistificació reportedly includes advice on avoiding identification, checking for police presence, locating security cameras and targeting businesses linked to tourism. The National Police are now investigating whether it may incite criminal activity.

Tourism is the headline issue, but property is never far behind. Estate agents, holiday rental owners, foreign buyers, second-home owners and investors are routinely blamed by these groups for pricing locals out of the housing market.

Housing affordability in Mallorca is a real problem, caused by a shortage of housing. But rather than push for more home building to bring down prices, Mallorca’s housing activists prefer daubing slogans on shop windows or intimidating businesses.

Counterproductive

The manual has been condemned by the Balearic Government, business groups and, more significantly, by unions and environmental organisations that have often been sympathetic to the anti-tourism cause.

The Balearic Federation of Commerce has demanded the manual be withdrawn, warning that small businesses should not be used as scapegoats for structural housing problems that governments have failed to solve. Behind every shopfront, it points out, are self-employed people, families and workers.

This latest news shows that Mallorca’s activists are more of a nuisance than a threat. Mallorca remains one of Spain’s most attractive and internationally connected tourist and property markets, and these activists are not going to change that.