Majorca anti-tourism protests could bring the Balearic island 'to a standstill' in July as locals say it's on 'brink of collapse' and call for the government to take actionJulie Delahaye Travel Editor & Commercial Content Lead and Rita Sobot Spain Correspondent10:55, 08 Jun 2026Updated 10:56, 08 Jun 2026Brits heading to the Balearic Islands this summer should take note of potential anti-tourism protests taking place including Majorca and Menorca.‌Campaigners in the holiday hotspots are threatening to bring busy parts of Majorca to a standstill on July 26 as they plan another round of protests against mass tourism. Meanwhile in Menorca, there are marches currently planned for June 13.‌More than 50 organisations in the popular holiday destinations have issued a rallying call, claiming they want to "collapse" Mallorca's capital of Palma.‌The protests are being co-ordinated by "Menys turisme, mes vida" ("Less tourism, more life") which led widespread demonstrations in 2024. The group has warned that this year's rallies could be bigger as it calls on local residents to turn out on the day in support.In Majorca, the main protests are expected to take place at the foot of Palma's cathedral, which is a popular destination including for cruise holidays, with passengers disembarking and heading to the region.‌One of the spokesmen of the group, David Comas, warned that the Balearic Islands is heading towards a "decisive" and extremely complex summer. He stressed that, in addition to the structural problems of the island, this year there is an extraordinary factor with the total solar eclipse, on August 12th, an astronomical event that has triggered the forecasts for the arrival of visitors."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 focus of the protest is not limited only to the volume of tourists but also to the direct impact that the model has on the living conditions of the local population. Menys Turisme, més vida claims thousands of workers are in a situation of "maximum vulnerability", with issues around housing for the island, which David Comas says "has been transformed into a theme park where the right to be able to live is violated".‌It's not just locals in the Balearic Islands who have been speaking out against the effects of mass tourism in recent years.‌There been recent reports in Lanzarote of Airbnb key boxes being glued shut and access to popular tourist spots being restricted. There have been videos circulating on social media of demonstrators using glue on lock boxes that typically hold keys that can be accessed with PIN codes provided by holiday rental hosts.Separate protests have also seen demonstrators using red and white tape and unofficial warning notices in what appears to be a bid to deter tourists from visiting those sites. Graffiti featuring slogans including "Tourists go home" has also emerged across parts of the island.Back in 2024, mass protests took place in the Canary Islands, including hotspots in the likes of Tenerife. Protestors aren't necessarily calling out against tourists themselves, but rather the impacts of mass tourism on the islands, which they say impacts the ability for locals to get housing, as well as putting pressure on the islands' general infrastructure. As part of the demonstrations, calls have repeatedly been made for authorities to look at introducing restrictions such as visitor caps or tourism taxes.Article continues belowSome locals claimed at the time to have been pushed out of their homes by landlords wanting to turn their properties into tourism rentals, while others simply can't afford the costs of rent, pushed up by the tourists' demand, with calls for authorities to look into the housing issues and potentially introduce stricter rules around holiday homes and holiday rentals.Do you think the Balearic Islands are overcrowded - and do the protests put you off potential holidays? Let us know at webtravel@reachplc.com.