Anti-tourism graffiti has reappeared in the centre of Palma as the city receives the first cruise ships of the season. Several messages aimed at visitors urge people to “be a good tourist” and avoid staying in Airbnb properties.
The slogans have returned to walls in the historic centre at the same time as footfall rises around key landmarks such as Plaça de Cort and the cathedral. Groups of cruise passengers are moving through the area in tight packs behind tour guides, slowing the usual walk between the two sites.
The messages reflect growing anger among some residents over mass tourism and its effect on housing prices and daily life. Some visitors said they understood the complaints, while others defended the right to travel freely and argued that limiting tourism would be impossible.
According to Última Hora, the criticism focuses in particular on the impact that holiday flats have on the cost of housing. The debate has become more visible in Palma as the summer season gathers pace and cruise arrivals increase pressure on the old town.
Some tourists said they had not seen the graffiti during their stay, but many still recognised the wider tensions in the city. A group of German visitors told the newspaper they had followed the debate over tourism saturation in Mallorca and understood the concerns of some residents.
One of the clearest examples came from a German couple who said they were staying in hotels rather than short-term rentals. “Siempre nos alojamos en hoteles y no en Airbnb’s,” said the couple, who added that they understood local anger over the rising cost of living.
The couple were due to continue their trip on a cruise after spending several days in Palma. Their comments echo a broader attempt by some visitors to reduce friction by choosing hotels instead of apartments marketed through platforms such as Airbnb.
Palma has seen repeated clashes over overtourism in recent years, and the latest graffiti suggests the issue remains unresolved. The renewed messages come as the city enters one of its busiest periods, with cruise passengers adding to congestion in narrow streets and public squares.
Residents have often linked the spread of tourist accommodation to rising rents and pressure on neighbourhood life. In Palma, that anger is now being expressed directly in the streets again, just as more visitors are arriving by sea.
For many travellers, the scene is a reminder that destinations under heavy tourism pressure are asking visitors to change their behaviour. In Palma, that message is becoming harder to miss.
