Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Summer 2025 has seen a stern reaction in several European countries as excessive tourism reaches a breaking point. In Barcelona’s streets and throughout Greece’s islands, local populations have seen a tourist influx threatening to consume their day-to-day existence.
In Spain, protests have erupted, especially in Mallorca, where thousands of locals are demanding an end to mass tourism that disrupts their neighborhoods. Residents of Genoa, Italy, joined in with a symbolic parade through their city’s narrow alleys to highlight the disruptive flood of cruise passengers. Meanwhile, in Paris, museum workers took action, locking visitors out of the Louvre to protest overcrowding in its iconic galleries.
The issue has become particularly apparent in the Mediterranean region, where the number of tourists far exceeds the local population. For example, the Greek island of Zakynthos, a major tourist hotspot, welcomed 150 times more visitors than its permanent residents in 2023. In 2024, Europe saw an estimated 756 million tourists—a staggering 46 million more than in the previous year. While tourism undoubtedly fuels the economy, it also burdens infrastructure, increases pollution, and strains housing markets.
In destinations like Santorini, Greece, and Barcelona, the daily life of locals is increasingly overshadowed by the throngs of tourists crowding streets, beaches, and historical sites. Short-term rental platforms like Airbnb have contributed to the growing pressure, taking away affordable housing options for long-term residents. As tourists seek vacation rentals, local businesses, too, face displacement, with tourist-centric shops replacing those essential for daily life.
Arising issues due to overtourism:
The result has been a growing gap between those who rely on tourism income and those who find their hometowns increasingly overrun. Some residents, particularly in second-tier cities, feel that the boom in budget airlines and social media-driven travel trends are erasing the quieter destinations they once enjoyed. Cities like Porto, once a tranquil alternative to Lisbon, are now facing the same overcrowding issues as their larger counterparts.
The blame for this tourism boom has sparked controversy. Short-stay platforms like Airbnb are often accused of exacerbating the housing crisis by pulling homes out of the long-term rental market. At the same time, traditional hotel giants, such as Tui, point to Airbnb’s dominance as the source of the issue. Even more recently, “digital nomads”—affluent remote workers—are being blamed for increasing rent prices and contributing to the squeeze on locals in cities like Lisbon and Berlin.
Initiatives to combat overtourism:
Governments, despite vocalizing concerns about over-tourism, continue to approve projects like airport expansions and hotel developments, which contribute to the problem. The shift in tourist behavior, driven by social media trends, has exacerbated the issue. Instead of leisurely exploring cities, tourists are flocking to “Instagram-worthy” spots, such as Rue Cremieux in Paris or Switzerland’s Ponte dei Salti, without regard for the impact on the local environment.
But is mass tourism truly the villain it’s made out to be? Governments, particularly in Greece, have long viewed tourism as a less environmentally harmful alternative to industrial growth. It provides a vital economic boost, allowing countries to fund the preservation of national heritage sites and support jobs in hospitality, retail, and transportation. Even though many of the loudest protests target the tourism industry, much of the animosity stems from the broader socioeconomic issues at play—such as high rents and the replacement of essential services with tourist traps.
Some experts argue that the perception of “over-tourism” is being amplified as a scapegoat for a variety of issues, including housing shortages and rising living costs. However, it is clear that the benefits of tourism often flow to big corporations, leaving local communities with little to show for it. The large cruise ships that dock in historic cities, dumping thousands of passengers into already crowded streets, are a prime example of this imbalance.
Yet, the undeniable economic value of tourism cannot be ignored. In 2024, Greece’s tourism industry generated €21.7 billion in direct income and another €42.7 billion indirectly from spending in bars, restaurants, and local businesses. Despite this, residents in the most popular destinations feel little comfort in knowing that the money flowing into their economy also brings overcrowding, higher rents, and environmental damage.
As the tourism season ramps up again, the pandemic’s legacy is clear: many people now cherish the peace and quiet that came with fewer visitors. During lockdowns, locals rediscovered their cities without the constant invasion of tourists. Now that tourism is on the rise once more, they find themselves struggling to return to a reality that feels increasingly out of their control.
Governments have started to implement measures to curb overcrowding, such as capping the number of visitors to specific locations and increasing taxes on short stays. In Barcelona, new laws cap the number of nights an apartment can be rented on platforms like Airbnb, while Venice has introduced entry fees during peak tourist days. However, these measures are still in the early stages, and it’s uncertain whether they will be enough to bring lasting change. Authorities are also trying to promote alternative destinations, but as tourism continues to grow, many of the quieter spots are also being flooded with visitors.
The success of these strategies remains to be seen. With some cities introducing higher fees or restrictive regulations, it’s too early to judge whether they will significantly reduce the influx of tourists. For now, the tension between tourism’s economic benefits and its impact on local life seems set to continue.
Ultimately, as Europe’s leading tourist destinations grapple with over-tourism and turning local populations against visitors, it becomes clear that the issue is multifaceted. While governments seek a compromise, possibly a new imperative toward sustainable and responsible tourism practice can uncover a solution between economic importance and adverse effects on host communities. It’s a balancing act between entertaining visitors and ensuring quality of life for residents.
