Tourists visiting Lanzarote have faced disruptive actions, such as sealing Airbnb key boxes with glue and obstructing entry to popular scenic spots. Social media videos depict activists using strong adhesive on lock boxes outside rental properties, potentially impeding guests from reaching their accommodations with the provided PIN codes. Another protest involved placing warning signs and tape around tourist sites to deter visitors, including paths leading to volcanic viewpoints.
Online images display stickers on vacation rentals conveying messages like “Your tourism harms our land.” Protesters aim to highlight the negative effects of mass tourism on local communities, citing increased housing expenses and a lack of affordable homes for residents. Some activists have left notes on rental cars cautioning visitors about contributing to local displacement.
Graffiti with messages like “Tourists go home” has emerged in various parts of the island. These demonstrations coincide with a surge in visitor numbers to Lanzarote, with over 400,000 travelers arriving from UK airports in the initial quarter of 2026. Concerns about the impact of short-term rentals and escalating tourism on housing markets have been voiced by residents’ groups in Spanish tourist destinations.
Similar incidents have been reported in other Spanish regions, such as Granada, where numerous Airbnb key boxes were reportedly glued shut as part of a protest against holiday rentals. Last summer, Spain witnessed widespread protests against mass tourism, with activists arguing that the expansion of short-term accommodations is exacerbating the housing affordability crisis for locals.