Over-tourism in Europe: Rising discontent and calls for sustainable solutions

Concerns about the impact of over-tourism are particularly pronounced in Spain, where locals have grown increasingly frustrated with the surge of foreign visitors.

Protests in cities like Barcelona and the Canary Islands have drawn attention to the negative consequences of mass tourism, such as skyrocketing house prices and increased living costs, driven largely by the conversion of homes into holiday rentals.

This has led to tensions around sustainability, especially regarding housing affordability and resource use, including water supplies.

European Attitudes

A new YouGov Eurotrack survey polled citizens in Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden sheds light on European attitudes toward overtourism.

The findings reveal that nearly half of Spaniards (49 per cent) perceive large numbers of international tourists in their local areas, with 32 per cent saying there are “too many” foreign visitors.

This figure far exceeds that of other European countries, with France following at a distant 18 per cent, and Italy at 16 per cent.

In regions like Catalonia, home to Barcelona, dissatisfaction with tourism is even more marked, with 48 per cent of respondents saying the area suffers from an overwhelming number of tourists.

The Canary Islands also experience high levels of discontent, although exact figures were not provided in the report.

Growing Frustration

This growing frustration is mirrored in the overall sentiment toward international tourists.

In Spain, 28 per cent of respondents expressed a negative view of foreign visitors, a significant contrast to other nations like France (16 per cent), Germany (14 per cent), and Italy (11 per cent). Swedish respondents, by comparison, showed the least negativity, with only 6 per cent harbouring unfavourable views of tourists.

Holiday Rentals

One of the biggest concerns for Spaniards revolves around the holiday rental industry.

More than a third (37 per cent) believe that holiday lets cause more harm than good and 45 per cent have a generally negative view of the sector.

This negativity has prompted the Spanish government to crack down on holiday rentals, with Madrid recently halting the issuance of new licenses for tourist flats.

While Spain’s frustration with holiday rentals is notably higher than in other countries – Britain follows with just 21 per cent holding negative views – the hotel industry is not viewed with the same disdain, with only 21 per cent of Spaniards expressing disapproval.

Interestingly, while the cruise industry often faces criticism elsewhere, such as in Germany and France, where 44 per cent and 47 per cent of respondents, respectively, see it negatively, Spaniards tend to have a more positive outlook on cruise tourism.

Tackling Over-Tourism

The survey also explored European support for various measures aimed at tackling over-tourism.

There is broad sympathy for residents protesting against overtourism, with 66 per cent of Spaniards and a majority in all surveyed countries expressing empathy for their concerns.

Popular measures include requiring tourists to book in advance for entry to popular sites, with 57-76 per cent of people across the seven countries backing this idea.

Additionally, more than half (50-62 per cent) support setting limits on the number of tourists allowed in popular destinations, mirroring policies already in place at landmarks like the Acropolis in Greece and Machu Picchu in Peru.

Ban on Construction

A policy to ban the construction of new hotels in over-visited cities also garners significant support, ranging from 46-58 per cent approval across the countries, with opposition being minimal.

These results suggest that while tourism remains vital to many economies, there is growing demand for more sustainable practices to mitigate its negative effects on local communities.