Tourists visiting Lanzarote have faced disruptions caused by protesters who have taken actions such as sealing shut Airbnb key boxes and obstructing entry to popular scenic spots. Social media videos have surfaced showing activists using strong adhesive on key boxes outside rental properties, potentially preventing guests from accessing their lodgings. These boxes typically hold keys retrievable with a PIN provided by hosts.
Furthermore, demonstrators have been observed placing red-and-white tape and unofficial warning signs around tourist sites, including paths leading to volcanic viewpoints, in an apparent effort to deter visitors. Online images also display stickers on rental properties conveying messages like “Your tourism kills our land.”
The activists aim to highlight the effects of mass tourism on local communities, particularly the surge in housing costs and the lack of affordable residences for residents. Some have even left notes on rental vehicles cautioning visitors about their role in the displacement of locals.
Graffiti with phrases like “Tourists go home” has emerged in certain parts of the island. These protests coincide with a spike in visitor numbers to Lanzarote, with over 400,000 travelers arriving from UK airports in the first quarter of 2026, as per local media reports.
Residents’ groups in various tourist hubs in Spain have been increasingly vocal about the repercussions of short-term holiday rentals and the escalating influx of tourists on the local housing market. Similar incidents have been reported in other Spanish locations, such as Granada, where hundreds of Airbnb key boxes were reportedly glued shut in a coordinated demonstration against holiday rentals.
Last summer, widespread protests against mass tourism occurred across Spain, with campaigners arguing that the expansion of short-term rentals is exacerbating the challenge for locals to secure affordable housing.
