logo
episode-header-image
Jul 10
12m 25s

Why water pistols are being used to figh...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Water pistols have become a symbol of resistance against overtourism in several cities around the world. This summer local residents in Barcelona, Spain, have been using them again to show their frustration at how mass tourism is impacting their city; from housing to overcrowding.

BBC journalist Laura García joins us to explain why there is so much anger directed towards tourists, as well as host websites such as Airbnb. We also hear which strategies governments in Spain and elsewhere are adopting to deal with the issue. Plus, travel influencer Joy Malonza shares tips about how we can all be more conscientious travellers.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emilia Jansson and Mora Morrison Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

Up next
Aug 22
ID please! Why the UK is checking your age online
In the UK, if you want to watch pornography or see content on sites like X, Reddit and Discord that is deemed only suitable for people over 18 years old, you now need to provide your identification to prove you are old enough to access this material. The UK government says its On ... Show More
11m 33s
Aug 21
Why fake weddings are India’s latest party trend
The big fat 'fake' Indian wedding is social media’s latest party trend. Fake wedding parties have taken the world and social media by storm with people getting together to enjoy all the fun of a wedding party: the food, Bollywood music, dancing and glamorous outfits. But there ar ... Show More
10m 5s
Aug 20
Why the world is divided on plastic pollution
Life is full of plastic, but it’s not always fantastic. We know that plastic is super useful: it helps keep food fresh and lets medicines, like vaccines, be delivered at scale to billions of people. But the world is drowning in it. In fact, the amount of plastic on our planet now ... Show More
11 m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
What's behind the UK riots?
Violent anti-immigration protests have been taking place in cities across the UK for more than a week, leading to hundreds of arrests. The unrest has been linked to the online spread of misinformation about the fatal stabbing of three young girls in the seaside town of Southport ... Show More
25m 15s
Oct 2024
Why are there millions of empty homes in Japan?
Abandoned houses – or “akiyas” – have become a symbol of the crisis facing Japan’s population. But a wave of young foreign bargain hunters has started snapping up some of these abandoned homes, inspired by viral DIY videos and social media influencers. Lucy Hockings speaks to the ... Show More
26m 23s
Oct 2010
BBC Radio 4
Why some pro-democracy candidates in Burma won't be contesting the forthcoming elections; Pascale Harter's in Spain examining worries about the economy and the changes which a wave of immigration has brought to Spanish culture; In Srinagar, Kashmir, Chris Morris finds that local ... Show More
28m 14s
Jul 2024
Why Spain wants tourists to go home
For decades, Spain has been the destination of choice for Brits desperate for sun, sea and sand. But now there is a growing backlash against tourism. What went wrong? Sam Jones reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 
27m 11s
Jan 2025
LA fires: “It was like watching the end of the world”
It’s been a week since wildfires started sweeping through Los Angeles, California, destroying swathes of the city and reducing communities, homes and schools to little more than rubble and ash. The inferno has now ravaged an area larger than Manhattan. Some fires have been exting ... Show More
26m 35s
Jun 9
National Guard Deploys to L.A. as Protests Continue
A.M. Edition for June 9. President Trump orders the National Guard to protect federal agents and property in Los Angeles as protests stretch into their third night. Plus, as U.S. and Chinese officials meet in London for trade talks the Journal’s Lingling Wei lays out the likely k ... Show More
12m 33s
Apr 2023
The toxic threat to journalism in Lebanon
Lara Bitar, a Lebanese journalist, has been reporting on the toxic waste that’s been in Lebanon since the country’s civil war – reporting that took on a new meaning in the wake of Beirut’s 2020 port explosion. This March, she and another journalist were summoned by the government ... Show More
19m 52s
Jul 2024
Why land routes through Africa are more dangerous for migrants than Mediterranean crossings
Refugees and migrants taking land routes across Africa to get to the Mediterranean and Europe, face extreme violence, abuse and exploitation, with far more believed to be dying there than at sea, a UN-backed report says. Plus, why is Tanzania struggling with a huge shortage of un ... Show More
35m 35s
May 2021
ITT Sound Off: Exporters of Violence
Maria and Julio discuss recent updates on immigration and COVID-19 vaccine equity. They also dive into current global protests in Colombia and East Jerusalem, where civilians have been met with extreme police violence.  SAVE THE DATE: Our next virtual LIVE ITT show is on Wednesda ... Show More
19 m