Don’t Be A Tourist in Spain
ANA WINSTON Anti-tourist sentiments are widespread in Spain.
Almost everyone knows someone who spent a college semester in Spain. As a Spanish-American, I know the appeal: the beautiful beaches, balmy Mediterranean weather and famously relaxed lifestyle make the country an ideal destination for college students desiring a break from their ordinary routine. However, there’s only one problem with traveling to Spain: many locals detest visitors. The recent anti-tourism protests in Spain highlight the dangers of over-tourism, something that students studying abroad should be careful to avoid.
Spain received more than 85 million tourists in 2023, making it the world’s second-most popular tourist destination that year. An influx of visitors after the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the gentrification efforts of Spain’s most popular destinations; more tourism heightens the demand for short-term housing rentals and businesses that are more familiar to international visitors. This all comes at the expense of residents, who are priced out of their homes and forced to close their local businesses as their cities are geared towards tourists who bring money.
With all the hostility against visitors, it’s essential to remember to visit the country responsibly.
In the summer of 2024, residents of Barcelona protested against overtourism by taking over the streets and spraying tourists with water guns. Protests also occurred in the Balearic Islands, where residents of Ibiza pointed out the stark contrast between the luxury hotels on the island and the tent cities local workers are forced to live in due to skyrocketing rent prices. It’s worth noting that a lot of these homeless residents work in the tourist sector — the same industry that is destroying their livelihoods.
Amidst localized protests, the cry of “tourist, go home” is ubiquitous in the various regions of Spain. It’s undeniable that tourism is throttling the country, driving residents to understandably sour sentiments as they try to regain their homes and cities. Despite protests, the wheels of industry keep moving, and tourists and exchange students alike arrive in Madrid or Barcelona’s airports, hoping to enjoy a bit of the stereotypical Spanish lifestyle. With all the hostility against visitors, it’s essential to remember to visit the country responsibly.
According to the US News & World Report, Spain was the third-most popular destination for exchange students in 2024, meaning studying abroad contributes to a sizable amount of Spain’s already bloated quantity of yearly visitors.
However, studying abroad is notably different from tourism in a few key ways. For one thing, students visiting Spain typically stay in university housing options such as homestays, residence halls or shared student accommodations. Students are also taken in by an academic community and given the chance to meet and study with locals. The university study abroad network ensures that students are responsibly introduced to their host country, meaning that students studying abroad are less likely to contribute to gentrification.
A longer stay also means that students are more likely to adapt to the city’s culture and language. Instead of frequenting tourist attractions and favoring chain stores and restaurants for their familiarity, students learn about local cuisine and hear food recommendations from the people they meet. Unlike tourists, study abroad students are also expected to learn the local language, meaning that it’s more likely that they will learn at least enough Spanish, Catalán or Basque to communicate with locals.
Spain is a small country, but every region has its own unique history, culture and sometimes even a different language.
Although study abroad programs typically provide a plan for a responsible visit, being a respectful visitor is ultimately up to each student. Whether people actually meet locals during their time abroad or instead decide to stick with other exchange students from their own country and speak their own language is up to them. It’s important to think carefully about Spain as a country with its own citizens and various cultures.
Studying abroad in Spain should be an intentional decision. Are you going because you have a certain interest in Spanish architecture, or because it has cheap flights out to other weekend destinations? Are you excited about the surfing communities at the country’s many beaches, or are you more interested in the lower prices and subsequent greater buying power of the US dollar? Are you looking forward to meeting people with whom you can rigorously practice Spanish, or are you only going because the Spanish classes meet your requirements for graduation? Deciding to study abroad in Spain should not be taken lightly — treating a semester in Spain like a mere vacation is disrespectful.
It’s also important to remember that Spanish culture is not the monolith of flamenco, siestas, wine and bullfighting that American media often perpetuates. Spain is a small country, but every region has its own unique history, culture and sometimes even a different language. For instance, I spent last semester in the Basque Country, where Castilian Spanish is only one of two official languages — the Basque language is used by the region’s government and heard quite often on the streets. The same applies to many other provinces of Spain.
Students often take advantage of studying abroad to travel to other countries near their temporary home. Although I understand this impulse, it’s worth considering spending more time exploring where your study abroad program is located. When I was studying abroad, I hardly ever left the Basque Country, and I had a great time exploring the various cities close to me.
Spain has many reasons to be a prime study abroad destination: it’s a linguistically and culturally diverse country with an impressive collection of museums, cultural sites and great people. Because it’s such an attractive destination, many regions of Spain are almost always crowded with tourists. It’s important to remember that Spanish people have a justifiable reason to be angry with overtourism. At the same time, studying abroad is not necessarily tourism, but it depends on each student’s relationship to their place of study. Try to authentically engage with a host country by prioritizing the academically enriching benefits of studying abroad. That way, you can avoid getting sprayed by a water gun.
