Are Tourists Ruining Europe? How Locals Are Pushing Back
As the number of people traveling for leisure returns to pre-pandemic levels, places that always attracted a lot of visitors are experiencing 'over-tourism,' a tipping point beyond which daily life becomes unbearable for local people. In 2023, one of Europe's worst over-tourism hotspots — the Greek island of Zakynthos — drew 150 times more people than it has permanent residents. European countries hosted an estimated 756 million tourists in 2024, 46 million more than in the preceding year.
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Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Overcrowded Vatican And Other Micro Countries Top Overtourism Report
From monuments and sites such as the Louvre Museum in Paris and the Trevi Fountain in Rome, islands including Santorini and the main Canary islands, to cities large and small like Spain's Barcelona, Italy's Venice, Croatia's Dubrovnik and Belgium's Bruges, the lists of European destinations impacted by overtourism grow every year. Along with that growth are massive protests of increasingly frustrated and angry residents tired of record crowds,, noise, overwhelmed services, impossible housing costs, traffic congestion that threat their way of life. Posters inviting visitors to 'Go Home' and even cases of physical attacks against tourists like in Barcelona and Valencia this summer where protesters shot water guns to unsuspecting tourists are not rare. Anti-tourism movements are starting to have an effect on local elections. The fear of an "Overtourism Crisis" in Europe with the surging in the numbers of travellers coming to the old continent this summer is real and forcing governments to address the environmental, social and economic pressures it is creating. During the first quarter of 2025, there were 452.4 million overnight stays in tourist accommodations across the EU, according a European Commission's Eurostat analysis. Last year, 747 million international travellers visited the continent, far outnumbering any other region in the world, according to the U.N.'s World Tourism Barometer. Some countries carry heavier loads than others. France, the biggest international destination, last year received 100 million international visitors, while second-place Spain received almost 94 million — nearly double its own population. Visiting many of the most popular sites in Europe has become a physical ordeal where after long lines people are pushed through by the masses trying to take selfies. 'Europe, often dubbed the world's museum, is grappling with an unprecedented surge in tourism, transforming its picturesque streets into crowded thoroughfares and sparking widespread 'overtourism concerns,' writes The Independent. 'The continent's record-breaking visitor numbers are now straining local resources and sparking a backlash from residents as the familiar sight of suitcases rattling on cobblestones and selfie-snappers jostling for position has become a symbol of the strain." Cruise ships, bringing thousands of visitors to locations already overwhelmed by overtourism like Venice, the Canary and Balearic islands, Santorini and other small Greece islands, leave a significant ecological impact while contribute little to the local economy. Foreign visitors accounted for approximately 45.6% of all overnight stays in the first 3 months of 2025, as per the Eurostat report. What is new is the large differences among EU countries, with the smallest ones like Malta (91.2%), Cyprus (85.7%) and Luxembourg (80.4%) getting the biggest share of foreign overnight stays, above the "usual suspects" like Spain, France and Italy. The first places of the top most overcrowded tourist destinations in the world — measured by the number of visitors (taken from tourism figures from national tourist boards and reports), outnumbering the local population by a lot ,- in a new ranking by Go2Africa highlighting the growing global trend. Although, as explained by The Mirror in an article titled 'Do not travel zones where tourists overwhelm locals', 'the ratio of visitors to locals does not tell the complete story of a destination and its relationship with tourism, it gives a good indication of how reliant a place's economy is on tourism and how busy it's likely to feel during peak season.' Vatican City Tops Overtourism Ranking In # 1 with the most disproportionate tourist per local ratio is Vatican City, the world's smallest country in area and population. A sovereign city-state located within Rome it is just 0.44 square kmts. in size and a place of pilgrimage and cultural significance for many people around the world. With just 882 residents the Vatican welcomes a staggering 6.8 million tourists a year which equates to 7,710 visitors for every local. 'Every day thousands of visitors are literally pushed through this Vatican cash machine by the museum's guardians,' writes a visitor in Tripadvisor about the experience at the Vatican Museum. 'Practically no chance to quietly admire the various masterpieces.' Statistics from last May show that the number of visitors at the Vatican can reach 25,000 per day with massive ticket lines often snaking around the walls. That's more than 1/2 million visitors per month. In second and third place are also other European micro-countries. Principality Of Andorra Second In The List The principality of Andorra a land-locked small country of 468 square kms, 2 and ½ times the size of Washington D.C, located between France and Spain takes second place. With a population of over 85,000 people -by a 2023 census-, this small European country best known for its luxury ski resorts and tax-free shopping, receives around 9.6 million tourists per year. This equates to a ratio of 118 tourists per resident. The status of the tiny principality as a tax haven and the fact that it is almost entirely geared towards tourism, contribute to its outsized appeal. Nestled in Pyrenees, Andorra also offers stunning landscapes with peaks over 2,000 metres high, deep valleys and winding rivers. Tiny San Marino And Overtourism The third country in the list, where visitors outnumber the local population is another mountainous landlocked microstate in Southern Europe: San Marino. Surrounded in all sides Italy and founded in 301 AD, it is the world's oldest surviving republic, maintaining its independence for over 1,700 years. A UNESCO World Heritage Site it boasts three imposing fortresses on surrounding towering peaks. The capital, also called San Marino is located in the slopes of Monte Titano and its known for its medieval walled old town and narrow cobblestone streets. Visitors are drawn to the landscape, cuisine and architectural sights. Over 60 kilometres squared, it's the third smallest territory in Europe and the fifth smallest in the world. With only 33,600 residents San Marino attracts 2 million tourists per year which equates to a ratio of 60 tourists per local. At the same time that San Marino appears among the destinations with locals being outnumbered by visitors, it is frequently mentioned in rankings of the l'east visited countries in Europe.' Has Monaco An Overtourism Problem? Another principality, Monaco, a sovereign microstate on the Mediterranean Sea's French Riviera, not far from the Italian region of Liguria, attracts luxury travelers to its famous casinos, yachts, and Mediterranean coastline and the city-state is often packed with visitors. Monaco gets around 340,000 tourists per year. If, according to the local Monaco Voice, 'Monaco seems to have avoided the pitfalls of mass tourism,' it still appears in #8 of the list of places where visitors outnumber the local population. The principality occupies an area of 2.08 square kms, making it the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City. Its population of 39,000 makes it the most densely populated sovereign state. Only around 10,000 residents are Monégasque nationals. Monaco also has a record for the world's shortest national coastline of 3.83 km, not counting landlocked nations and it is recognised as one of the wealthiest and most expensive places in the world. Malta's Dangerous Overtourism 'Malta named as ninth most overcrowded tourist destination worldwide' is the title of the Malta Independent about the new report. With a history going back seven thousand years Malta, located between Sicily and the northern coast of Africa, is renowned for its sun-drenched beaches, ancient ruins, and vibrant Mediterranean culture. Last year, Malta had a registered population of 563,443 people and over 3.5 million tourists which equates to 6.32 tourists per resident. The Malta Business Weekly reports that the country already has already received "a bit over 1.4 million tourists in the first five months of 2025, which normally constitutes around 35% of all tourists for the year. It seems ever more likely that we will get more than 4 million (possibly 4.1 million) tourists in 2025. Last year we had 3.6 million tourists. From 2019 we have increased tourist arrivals by 54%, but real income from tourism has increased by 51%.' In the summer months, Malta's residents have to put up with crowds of tourists, especially young people arriving in low fare flights and cruise passengers, which has raised alarm from environmentalists and local residents of an 'environmental collapse.' The growth in tourist numbers is particularly affecting one of its most iconic, photographed and fragil sites, the Comino Island's Crystal Blue Lagoon, which according to local reports, has reached a tourism breaking point with over 10,000 visitors from across the world per day. A beautiful 1.4-square-mile natural pool with crystal-clear waters and striking limestone formations, the Cristal Blue lagoon has been transformed from a once tranquil place for swimming and snorkeling, into an overcrowded area full with boats and sunbathers during peak season, resulting in a growing imbalance between the polluting tourism and environmental sustainability of rare bird habitats and protected marine zones. This is how the BBC describe the situation at the Comino's Cristal Blue Lagoon: "shoulder-to-shoulder crowds jostle for space, litter spills from overflowing bins and tangles in trampled rock rose shrubs, while gas-guzzling powerboats blast music and leave behind a trail of environmental damage. Frustration over Comino's overtourism has been growing for years, with some disillusioned visitors going as far as to call the day-trip experience from Malta a 'scam' and overcrowded boats, limited amenities and worsening environmental degradation have led to mounting pressure on authorities to act." MORE FROM FORBES
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘It's a cry for help': Italian farmers introduce tourist levy on popular hiking trail
Italian farmers are tackling overtourism by charging a visitors a fee for hiking on a public footpath in the Dolomites. Four farmers have set up a turnstile on the Seceda mountain, a popular place to visit for pictures of the striking Odle Peaks, according to The Telegraph. Some 8,000 people walked along the mountain path on a single day last week. Videos on social media show long lines of tourists queuing behind one another on the Seceda trail. It is thought that more visitors are swapping beach resorts for the mountains this year in search of cooler temperatures. While there is a long-established 'right to roam' convention throughout the Dolomites, farmers say that the influx of visitors has damaged their land, and that they do not have the requisite funds to restore it. At the turnstile, visitors have to pay €5 (£4.32) per person for access to the path. The turnstile was set up for a brief period in July as a deliberate protest by the farmers. They hoped the action would compel the authorities to supply compensation for the care of the meadows and path. It was closed down after an initial, seven-day stint, but reopened it this week as the crowds continued to flock to see the peaks. The mountain is accessed via a cable car which carries hikers in the summer and skiers in winter. 'It's a cry for help,' said Georg Rabanser, one of the owners of the land that the path flows through, The Telegraph reported. 'We were hoping for a call from the provincial government, but we received nothing, just hot air, nothing of substance. 'We didn't even receive a cease and desist order,' he added. 'The authorities need to understand that while the cable car operators receive huge amounts of money from the invasion of tourists, we don't make anything and yet we have to bear the cost of damage done to our land and the rubbish that is left behind by badly behaved visitors,' he said. Meanwhile, the local tourist association are questioning the legality of the new turnstile. 'We don't understand on what legal basis the entrance ticket is being charged. It seems the owners just want to make some money,' said Lukas Demetz, the president of the tourist association in the local town of Santa Cristina, according to the publication. Meanwhile, rangers have been recruited to help manage the flow of tourism, which Mr Demetz said has significantly improved the issue of litter and crowding. The Independent has contacted the Val Gardena tourism board for comment.
Forbes
14 hours ago
- Forbes
Why A Transatlantic Cruise Is The Best Way To Experience Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady is a trip in itself. Virgin Voyages As avid cruisers, my friend and I are happiest when we're on a beautiful ship, sailing through blue seas, far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. So, when we finally found time to try a Virgin Voyages cruise — we had heard only rave reviews for years — we immediately opted for the 14 night Miami to Barcelona Transatlantic itinerary, which features an amazing 10 days at sea. It was a great decision because we got to immerse ourselves in the adults-only Virgin Voyages culture — which is a very different experience than any other cruise line we've been on, including those that are also adults-only. We were so blown away, we're already looking at doing it again next year. A transatlantic cruise is one that literally crosses the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe, offering numerous consecutive days at sea. Our ship started out in Miami and didn't make its first stop until day 10 when we docked in the Canary Islands. Being on Scarlet Lady for that long was pure bliss. Virgin's decadent ice cream parlor. Amber Redmond As Virgin virgins — a term you'll hear often on their ships, where double entendres abound and vibrators are sold in the gift shop — we were ready to try everything. Get your mind out of the gutter because, despite the lighthearted sexual references (the ice cream shop is named Lick Me Till Ice Cream), it's all in fun. The ship actually has a casual sophistication and, although every activity feels like a celebration of some kind and there's a consistently happy vibe in the air, this is not a party boat. What really stuck out to us was the fact that the Virgin demographic was the most diverse of any ship we've been on, with guests of all different backgrounds, ranging from their 20s to their 80s. With a resident Drag Queen, the ship was obviously LGBTQ+ friendly and everyone was so respectful and friendly, it was such a breath of fresh air. Our "Anxious People" book club on Virgin Voyages. Lois Alter Mark I know it seems weird to start off a cruise review by talking about a book club but this was a real highlight of our trip and a totally unexpected pleasure. Virgin offers three book clubs on their transatlantic itineraries and, if there's room, you're welcome to join all of them. They supply copies of the books and we chose to participate in the discussions for Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (although we ended up also reading the other two selections, Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano and People You Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry). The three book club choices. Lois Alter Mark We met three times during our cruise, with plenty of time in between to read the required pages for each meeting, and had amazing discussions. Everyone had an interesting perspective to share and the conversations were thought-provoking and often led to fascinating tangents. We enjoyed the experience so much, we started a Facebook group to continue it post-cruise. Staterooms on Virgin Voyages The irresistible hammock on our balcony on The Scarlet Lady. Lois Alter Mark Unlike most cruise ships that have odd number staterooms on one side of the ship and even numbers on the other, Virgin has an A side and a Z side. This is such a good idea because, let's face it, there's always a minute when you get off the elevator that you have to stop and look at the closest stateroom number on one side and think about whether it's odd or even and whether it's the side where your own room is located. On Virgin, the A and Z are displayed prominently so you immediately know which way to turn. The rooms themselves are small but colorful — red, as you know, is the brand's signature and it makes everything cheerier. I'm still not sure why they decided on a layout where, in a stateroom for two people who are not a couple, the twin beds are set up in an L shape. My friend slept with her feet near my head and couldn't really sit up in bed to watch a movie because there was no back to rest her head. This wasn't a huge deal because we didn't spend a ton of time in the room but I don't think this layout was the best use of the space. Our stateroom on The Scarlet Lady. Lois Alter Mark Our favorite feature of the room, hands down, was the Yellow Leaf hammock on the balcony, which was perfect for reading our book club selection and for napping to the sound of the sea. This exclusive Virgin amenity is unique and a real treat. Dining on Virgin Voyages The Galley on The Scarlet Lady. Lois Alter Mark As someone who loves cruise ship buffets, I was wary about their absence on Virgin — until we boarded the ship and got a glimpse of The Galley, the food hall-like area filled with stations offering everything from grab your own Bento boxes of sushi to made to order burgers, salads, tacos and so much more. Everything was delicious and civilized. We spent a lot of time here and also spent a lot of time deciding what we wanted to eat. Because there were so many tempting options, we often opted for more than one station. Scarlet Lady boasts more than 20 eateries, all of which are included in the price of the cruise and all of which we managed to try during our two weeks. It's hard to pick favorites but we really enjoyed the Mexican food at Pink Agave, the Italian dishes at Extra Virgin and the ever-changing menu at The Test Kitchen. Virgin gets our vote for best pizza at sea. Lois Alter Mark We absolutely fell in love with The Pizza Place, which I feel pretty confident declaring the best pizza at sea, and Lick Me Till Ice Scream, which we often visited twice in a day. We picked up popcorn and big pretzels at The Social Club whenever we passed up and we don't drink alcohol so we really appreciated that Diet Coke was included in our fare and available 24/7. We also don't drink coffee but managed to find our way to The Grounds Club for almond croissants every morning. Wellness on Virgin Voyages The VHS 80s workout is a blast (from the past). Amber Redmond Maybe it was because we ate so much, maybe it was because we had so much time or maybe it was simply because it was so much fun but somehow — and I mean, miraculously — we got ourselves out of bed early every single morning to go to whatever fitness class they were offering that day. We did Zumba, a boy band class, a high heels class (in our sneakers) and, our all-time favorite — which they should offer every day because it's so popular — the VHS 80's workout. I would pay to have a link to this at home (Virgin, are you listening?) because the music was fantastic, the moves fun and just the right amount of challenging and the instructors enthusiastic and hilarious. The Thermal Suite at Redemption Spa Virgin Voyages Of course, I also indulged in a couple of massages at the award-winning Redemption Spa, which were as restorative as I'd hoped they'd be. Next time, I'll also treat myself to a Thermal Suite Pass to take advantage of the Himalayan Salt Room, the sauna, steam, plunge pools and mud room but, honestly, there were so many other activities I wanted to try while onboard that those took precedent this time. Entertainment on Virgin Voyages The Diva, Scarlet Lady's resident drag queen. Lois Alter Mark I had heard a lot about the edgy entertainment aboard Virgin but wasn't really sure what to expect. Not only was I pleasantly surprised since I don't usually find most cruise ship entertainment particularly exciting but I would go so far as to say it's the best and most creative at sea. One of the best shows I've seen at sea. Lois Alter Mark Over the course of our cruise, we saw a magician, a comedian, an a capella group, a mind reader and an acrobatic show called Duel Reality that was worthy of Cirque du Soleil. But the piece de resistance — and something you probably won't find on any other cruise line — was The Diva, Scarlet Lady's resident drag queen. She was spectacular and we got to see her in two different shows and during a special karaoke event. What I loved most about her constant presence aboard the ship was how 'normal' it was and how impactful that is during these times. Scarlet Lady also hosts a PJ Party as well as a Scarlet Night extravaganza where everyone is encouraged to wear red and the festivities take over the entire ship with lots of music and special performances. Activities on Virgin Voyages Making friendship bracelets. Lois Alter Mark We participated in more activities on this cruise than I think we've ever done on any other! Our favorites included taking arts and crafts classes, including a couple where we perfected our friendship bracelet making skills (oh, if only we had done this before our attempts for the Taylor Swift concerts we attended in Edinburgh!), playing a shocking amount of table shuffleboard, enjoying afternoon tea, listening to records at Voyage Vinyl and belting out songs in a private karaoke room where you can reserve a room to sing your heart out alone or with your friends. Scarlet Lady also boasts Squid Ink, the first tattoo parlor at sea, and it was always busy. We met many guests who left the ship with permanent souvenirs. As for us, we're looking at future Virgin Voyages and are seriously considering the upcoming True Crime cruise in October. It feels like it would be a crime to miss it.
