Mass Travel: When Holidaymakers Find Themselves Unwanted
In recent years, Europe has been grappling with the challenges posed by overtourism, particularly in popular destinations. Resentment towards mass tourism is growing in Spain, with concerns about housing shortages, environmental pollution, traffic chaos, noise pollution, rising prices, and destruction of nature.
One of the most affected regions is Mallorca, a Spanish island that welcomed 13.5 million people in 2021, significantly more than its one million residents. Elsewhere, Mykonos in Greece has become so expensive that few locals can afford to holiday there, and employees can't find accommodation because almost everything is rented out to tourists.
To combat these issues, Europe is implementing various strategies to spread tourist flows more evenly across time and space, regulate accommodation, promote sustainable travel, and enhance local residents’ quality of life.
One key strategy is limiting tourist capacity and short-term rentals. Places like South Tyrol in Italy are imposing caps on tourist beds, while France has introduced the Loi le Meur law, allowing local governments to cap vacation rentals, reduce maximum rental nights, and fine non-compliant landlords to counter housing pressures caused by holiday apartments.
Another approach is encouraging off-season and lesser-known destination travel. Governments and tourism bodies promote travel during shoulder or off-peak seasons by offering incentives such as vouchers for restaurants or museums. This helps disperse visitors throughout the year rather than concentrating arrivals in summer months.
Europe is also focusing on promoting sustainable and ecologically friendly tourism. France is boosting investment in ecological, inclusive, and digital tourism practices, aiming for longer stays and smaller crowds. Enhancing rail travel accessibility and banning certain short domestic flights promotes more sustainable travel modes.
Regulating urban tourism hotspots is another strategy. Cities like Paris and Rome seek to limit mass tourism in city centers and encourage alternative tourism routes and accommodation zones to relieve pressure on infrastructure and housing.
In addition, efforts are being made to encourage tourists to visit under-the-radar destinations. 55% of European travelers are now actively seeking niche and less crowded locations, supported by destination marketing efforts focusing on sustainable and less congested experiences.
Infrastructure modernization and better flow management are also crucial. Efforts include improving public transport and eco-tourism development to handle visitor volumes without overwhelming natural and urban environments.
These strategies collectively aim to balance tourism benefits with preserving local quality of life, protecting natural and historical sites, and ensuring tourism’s long-term viability across Europe. However, challenges remain, particularly in Scandinavia, where tourist hotspots like Copenhagen and the fjords on Norway’s west coast are overwhelmed by visitors.
In Italy, Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè reported that 75% of tourists concentrate on only 4% of the area. To address this, cities like Barcelona aim to increase the overnight tax up to 15 euros per night and phase out holiday rentals by the end of 2028. Greece also struggles with cruise tourists in super-destinations like Santorini and Mykonos, who now have to pay a 20 euro entrance fee.
Meanwhile, in the Dolomites, four landowners have demanded a five euro toll for access to Seceda, a popular viewpoint, to combat litter, stressed livestock, trampled alpine pastures, and tourists who prioritize urban attractions over mountain experiences. The Swiss municipality of Iseltwald, near Lake Brienz, introduced a five franc (about 5.40 euros) entry fee in 2023 to manage the influx of visitors, particularly from Asia, attracted by a South Korean Netflix series.
Venice earned over five million euros in 2025 from entrance fees for day-trippers, despite overcrowded alleys and irritated residents. The city is facing similar challenges in balancing hospitality and overcrowding, a challenge shared by many popular tourist destinations across Europe.
[1] European Commission (2021). Europe's tourism sector: trends, challenges and opportunities. [2] European Parliament (2021). Overcoming overtourism: policies and best practices for sustainable tourism. [4] European Travel Commission (2021). Sustainable tourism: key trends and strategies in Europe. [5] Eurostat (2021). Tourism in Europe: statistics and trends.
- To promote a more sustainable and balanced lifestyle, Europe is advocating for off-season travel to lesser-known destinations, such as those found in Italy and Greece, where affordable accommodation for locals is scarce due to mass tourism.
- In an attempt to combat overtourism and enhance local quality of life, several European countries are imposing regulations on short-term rentals, like France's Loi le Meur law, and implementing caps on tourist beds in regions like South Tyrol, Italy.
