Europe becomes epicenter for anti-tourism protests this summer

Madrid : This summer, anti-tourism protests have been sweeping across Europe as demonstrations are being witnessed in the Netherlands, Greece and Spain.

In early July, protesters marched through popular tourist areas in the Spanish city of Barcelona spraying unsuspecting visitors with water pistols while chanting "tourists go home".

Recently, thousands protested in the Spanish island of Mallorca, with organisers claiming the island's tourism model "impoverishes workers and enriches only a few".

At the center of the protests lies the growing issue of rising rents and house prices, which has made home ownership almost impossible for some residents.

Many residents have had enough while some have taken extreme measures to make their voices heard, with locals demonstrating against excessive or mass tourism in the Spanish Canary Islands calling for a hunger strike back in April.

In some European cities, local authorities are taking bold action in a bid to bring tourism levels under control.

Officials in Venice have recently hailed a temporary entrance fee, designed to regulate tourist numbers.

The new EUR 5 (about USD 5.4) tourist charge, which began on April 25 and concluded on July 14, brought in more than EUR 2.4 million (about USD 2.6 million), significantly more than expected.

Despite backlash from some, more cities across Europe are following suit, and some are even looking to expand their tourist charges