Spaniards turn water pistols on visitors to protest mass tourism
NPR Online NewsJUN 17
Tourism provides essential economic benefits, generating 12% of Spain's GDP and supporting 150,000 jobs in Barcelona alone, with the industry creating employment opportunities across multiple sectors. Short-term rentals represent only a small fraction of total housing stock, while politicians unfairly blame platforms for broader housing policy failures that have persisted for decades. Restricting tourism would devastate local economies that depend on visitor spending.