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Spanish Protesters Use Waterguns to
Fight Mass Tourism
June 17, 2025
8 Advanced
Exercise 1
Vocabulary
Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
march /mɑːrtʃ/
Noun an organized walk by a group of people to protest something
The protesters congregated in the town square before
starting their march to parliament.
fuel /ˈfjuːəl/ to make something stronger, worse, etc.
Verb
The sudden layoffs fueled concerns about job security
among employees.
activist /ˈæktəvɪst/
Noun a person who works to achieve a particular social or political
goal
Civil rights activist Rosa Parks received the Presidential
Medal of Freedom in 1996.
chant /tʃænt/ to say or shout a phrase repeatedly
Verb
The protesters chanted anti-government slogans as they
marched.
gross domestic /groʊs dəˈmestɪk ˈprɑːdəkt/
product (GDP) the total value of all goods produced and services
Noun provided in a country in one year
The tourism industry is a major contributor to Japan's
gross domestic product.
eliminate /ɪˈlɪməˌneɪt/ to completely remove or exclude
Verb
The measures are part of France's plan to eliminate
single-use plastic bags in the country by 2040.
Exercise 2
Article
Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.
Protesters Use Waterguns in Fight Against Mass Tourism
Protesters used water guns against tourists in Barcelona and on the Spanish
island of Mallorca during marches on June 15 to demand a rethink of an
economic model they believe is fueling a housing crisis.
The marches were part of a coordinated effort by activists worried about
overtourism in Europe. While several thousands marched in Mallorca,
hundreds more gathered in other Spanish cities, as well as in Venice, Italy,
and Portugal's capital, Lisbon.
"The squirt guns are to bother the tourists a bit," Andreu Martínez said in
Barcelona. "Barcelona has been handed to the tourists. This is a fight to give
Barcelona back to its residents."
Martínez is one of many residents who think that tourism has gone too far in
the city of 1.7 million people that hosted 15.5 million visitors last year. He
says his rent has risen over 30% as more apartments in his neighborhood are
rented to tourists for short-term stays.
Around 5,000 people gathered in Palma, the capital of Mallorca, with some
carrying water guns as well and chanting, "Everywhere you look, all you see
are tourists."
Cities across the world are struggling with mass tourism and the growth of
short-term rental platforms, like Airbnb. There have been a lot of both pro-
housing and anti-tourism protests in Spain, which had a record 94 million
international visitors in 2024.
Spanish authorities are trying to show they are listening while not hurting an
industry that contributes 12% of gross domestic product.
Last month, Spain's government ordered Airbnb to remove almost 66,000
holiday rentals from the platform that it said had broken local rules.
Barcelona has also announced plans to eliminate all 10,000 short-term rental
licenses in the city by 2028.
Txema Escorsa, a teacher in Barcelona, doesn't just oppose Airbnb in his
home city — he also doesn't use it when traveling elsewhere.
"In the end, you realize that this is taking away housing from people," he said.
Tourists sit in a restaurant as people protest against overtourism in
Mallorca, Spain, Sunday, June 15, 2025.
Exercise 3
Discussion
Have a discussion based on the following questions.
1. What are your thoughts on the recent protests against mass tourism in Spain?
2. How would you react if locals sprayed you with water while you were
traveling?
3. What do you make of the claim that short-term rentals like Airbnbs take
housing away from people?
4. Are there many Airbnbs or other short-term rentals where you live?
5. Have you ever been to a place that felt like it had more tourists than
residents?
Exercise 4
Further Discussion
Have a discussion based on the following questions.
1. Are people in your town or city generally friendly to tourists?
2. Have you ever felt unwelcome when visiting a place?
3. Are there any places you're reluctant to visit because of overtourism?
4. Do you often use short-term rentals when you travel?
5. What parts of your country are struggling the most with overtourism?
Parts of this lesson are based on:
An article by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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