Amidst a growing anti-tourism movement in Spain, residents of Malaga have initiated a campaign by affixing stickers on buildings, urging tourists to 'go home.' Prominently displayed on tourist apartments, these stickers bear messages such as 'stinks of tourists,' 'a family used to live here,' and 'before this was my house.'
In Malaga, many locals are dissatisfied with the increasing influx of tourists, citing significant disruptions to their lives. Additional messages have emerged, highlighting the scarcity of affordable housing due to mass tourism. Concerns have been raised about rising rental costs driven by the limited availability of affordable accommodation, with many properties being exclusively leased to tourists.
People have recounted their recent experiences of being instructed to vacate long-term residences because the properties were being repurposed for tourist rentals.
Regarding the growing momentum of the sticker campaign, new photos of stickers and individuals contribute to its spread daily. Residents noted a strong momentum among citizens who were discontent with the situation. Although generally, there is no personal resentment towards tourists, being evicted from their homes to accommodate tourist apartments was something that has ignited the outcry. There is also disappointment over the lack of action from the town hall, which held responsibility for all of Malaga's residents.
Local politician Dani Perez also addressed the issue on social media, stating, "You walk the streets of Malaga, and it's nearly impossible to find a residential building without a lockbox [for tourist rentals]. The mayor of Malaga is not doing anything for the people who live here; they're being pushed out of the city where they were born."
However, local lawyer Juan Luis Gomez criticized the campaign, arguing, "The same people who oppose tourism then refuse to work, as if our livelihoods depended solely on the aerospace industry. Regulating tourism is one thing, but outright rejection is another."
Notably, the Costa del Sol remains a popular destination for British holidaymakers in Spain. Reports indicate that in 2023, a record 14 million holidaymakers from Spain and abroad visited the region, with a significant number choosing to settle in the city. Data from Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) revealed that eight out of ten new Malaga residents are foreigners.