It’s not just a Spanish problem. Cities across the world are struggling with how to cope with overtourism and a boom in short-term rental platforms, like Airbnb, but perhaps nowhere has surging discontent been so evident as in Barcelona, where protesters plan to take to the streets on Sunday.
Similar demonstrations are slated in several other Spanish cities, including on the Balearic islands of Mallorca and Ibiza, as well as in the Italian postcard city of Venice, Portugal’s capital Lisbon and other cities across southern Europe — marking the first time a protest against tourism has been coordinated across the region.
Spaniards have staged several large protests in Barcelona, Madrid and other cities in recent years to demand lower rents. When thousands marched through the streets of Spain’s capital in April, some held homemade signs saying “Get Airbnb out of our neighborhoods.”
I dunno, maybe $1000-$2000, give or take? However much it costs for a couple to, say, drive from Atlanta to a Florida panhandle beach town for a week, staying in a mid-priced hotel, eating mostly casual dining plus a few overpriced but not fancy seafood dinners, and budgeting for a few activities like mini golf or a dolphin tour or whatever.
(Even that is more modest than the example I gave about my parents: they were doing things like flying to Cancun and staying at all-inclusive resorts in their 20s and 30s.)
In contrast, the “vacations” I actually have taken have either been staycations, tagging along with my parents or the in-laws on their trips for free, traveling to attend somebody’s wedding, or (if we’re actually paying for it ourselves)… camping. Not “glamping,” either – in a tent at a National Forest backcountry campsite for $0/night.
To be clear, I’m not saying that I can’t cover a $2000 expense if I have to. I’m just saying that I’ve never felt wealthy enough to be comfortable spending that much money on something that isn’t a necessity or an investment.
If you are unable to save up $2000 over the course of a year, then you are either not middle class or are very conservative with your money (not a bad thing). The definition of middle class is also location dependent. Making $50k/year in Alabama is VERY different from making $50k in NYC. Making $100k in Indianapolis is very different from making $100k in San Francisco. Hell, you can make $200k/year and not be able to afford even a small house in Los Angeles.