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In recent times, travellers in Europe have been chased by locals and targeted with water pistols, while ‘go back’ slogans have been making headlines. Spain is the latest country to experience this. Thousands of Spaniards have been holding demonstrations in the areas most popular among visitors, chanting,”tourists go home” and going on hunger strikes. However, this surge of acrimonious behaviour is not directed to the tourists but at over-tourism which has failed to be managed sustainably.
Europe, home to five of the ten most popular places in the world to visit, is undergoing an upheaval. The locals of Venice, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Canary Islands, Lisbon, Athens are struggling with inadequate infrastructures, overcrowded streets and pollution, all topped with the prohibitive property prices. While tourism has been the economic driver of such cities, it now threatens the quality of life of its residents. With 73.9 million tourists in Spain in the first nine months of 2024, the question of over-tourism and its damaging impact on climate change and residents have garnered attention in Europe.
Pushed over the edge by over-tourism
The already over-utilised, drought-prone Spain has 61 percent of its surface water available and 45 percent of its underground water contaminated. Similarly, Italy is facing an acute shortage of water. In 2022, almost 40 percent of Italy’s agricultural sector was at risk owing to record low water levels. On the other hand, parts of Central Europe —namely, Romania, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic— endured the rainiest monsoon ever recorded.
According to the European Environment Agency report of 2023, coastal areas would experience an increase in the mean and extreme sea levels. The countries of Southern Europe would see a rise in droughts and fire hazards. This anticipation was met with wildfires, primarily in Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, which burned 500,000 hectares of land. Moreover, Europe has been impacted by heat waves and has seen a surge in temperature-related health issues.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared this climate crisis a public health crisis, the first of its kind. This phenomenon of climate change not only hampers people’s living conditions but also threatens the national economies. The loss of infrastructure, extended pressure on natural resources and dire effects on all the sectors of production can lead to a sharp economic decline. Such a situation coupled with mass tourism has pushed many countries to the brink.
The housing crisis is another matter of grave concern. Rent prices that were already skyrocketing pre-COVID-19 have surpassed the affordable capacity of an average income earner. For example, rent in Barcelona has increased by 68 percent in the past decade and property prices by 38 percent. At the same time, in Germany, there is a shortage of 800,000 apartments, with hundreds of applicants on waiting lists. In France and Sweden, soaring prices for owning houses are discouraging the younger demographic from buying them. In the case of Greece, owners have switched to short-term rentals over long-term ones due to lack of affordability. Considering the ever-growing demand for Airbnb and rental properties among tourists, property owners are evicting their tenants and subletting their apartments to earn extra income. This has perpetuated forced displacement of thousands of local residents and an overall deterioration of the quality of life in some of the most popular tourist destinations. Moreover, as thousands of travellers flock to ancient cities, they are putting pressure on health services, waste management and other essential amenities which are not used to such a strain.
The governments’ reactions
The protests and their widespread coverage have compelled the governments to take stringent measures against over-tourism. Some policies have already been implemented, some have been circulating for years, and some have been recently proposed to calm down the angered citizens and rectify the worsened situation.
Since August 2024, Venice has decided to limit the number of people to 25 for guided tour groups and ban loudspeakers to prevent any disturbances caused by crowds to the locals. These restrictions have also been extended to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, and failing to comply with instructions would result in a €25-€30 fine. Earlier, in April 2024, Venice became the first city to charge a symbolic €5 entry fee to limit the number of day-trippers. Though, still in its initial stages of execution, the strategy has shown little promise to tackle the heavy amount of tourists during peak seasons. Greece has adopted similar measures, imposing a €20 levy on cruise ship visitors in the islands of Santorini and Mykonos during the summers. The revenue collected will be used to improve the infrastructure of the islands. The officials of the overcrowded Croatian city of Dubrovnik, in which only 30 per cent of the Old Town is occupied by the locals, have decided to reclaim the land for the local inhabitants. It aims at banning new rental permits and short-term leases.
Another tourist hotspot, Amsterdam, has taken drastic steps to lower the visitor numbers. It has banned the construction of new hotels, allowing the construction of a new, more sustainable building only if another structure closes. In such a case, the newly built hotel cannot exceed the number of hotel rooms which were in the previous property. The government also seeks to reduce the cruise ship entering the capital by half by 2028. These actions are a part of the successful long-term tourism campaign, announced in 2022. In order to avoid voyeuristic tourism and unwanted behaviour, the government banned smoking in the red-light district. This ‘stay away’ campaign was initially targeted at British men aged 18-35. The campaign has now spread all over the city, banning smoking in the city centre and planning to relocate brothels to the outskirts of the city.
Copenhagen has also been in the spotlight for adopting an entirely different approach to handle the situation through CopenPay. CopenPay is a pilot scheme which ran from July 15 to August 11, 2024 wherein tourists were encouraged to make sustainable decisions. Adamant that they need to change the tourists’ mindset and not make their city inhospitable at the same time, they launched this green economy initiative. CopenPay rewards for participating in activities such as cycling, volunteering at urban farms and clean-up drives while indulging in exploring the city.
In light of recent events, Barcelona has called for a shutdown of short-term rentals to tourists by 2028 to address the housing crisis. It has announced to eliminate 10,000 registered short-term rental listings, making it one of the most aggressive policies in Airbnbs in the world. However, it is not alone. Many countries have and are restricting the short-term rental regulations. The UK unveiled its planning permission before the general elections of 2024 which would be required to rent a property for more than 90 days. France has approved anti-Airbnb bill to accommodate its citizens’ demands for affordable housing. The legislation which was in circulation since April 2023 aims to bring down the tax allowance for tourist rentals, from 71 per cent to 50 per cent, with a cap of €77,000. The bill also slashes tax breaks for non-classified tourist properties, bringing them to 30 per cent from 50 percent, with a cap of €15,000.
Are these measures enough to solve the crisis?
The outrage and concern of the locals have been met with some measurable steps taken by their respective governments. However, the question lies whether they are enough. Many experts are arguing that imposing additional taxation is non-effective in lowering arrivals. A person planning a holiday will seldom get deterred by the trivial amount of tax. The ban on Airbnb might resolve the housing crisis in the short-run, but can lead to the problem of gentrification in the long-run.
Moreover, many scholars argue that discouraging tourists through campaigns, and targeted policies would have a negative impact on the economies of countries. It would hamper the employment opportunities in the tourism sectors, and reduce their global visibility. The government needs to strike a balance between promoting its country as a tourist destination while upholding the interests and security of its citizens. Most importantly, they need to take climate changes related to tourism into effect, along with the economic conditions. A viable solution to this issue would be sustainable tourism, an option explored and executed by Copenhagen. Another possible resolution is the promotion of cultural tourism. The governments by doing so could not only promote their cultural heritage but also support environmental conservation practices and local communities.
Further questions
- Will stricter measures implemented by governments lead to a reduction in tourist arrivals?
- Is sustainable tourism the only option left to tackle over-tourism?
- Will tourists reconsider visiting Europe in light of recent developments?
Suggested readings:
Ümit, Yoker. “When tourism becomes a burden.” Horizons, 2024
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