By: Stuart Kerr, Travel Correspondent
Published: 03/08/2025 · Updated: 03/08/2025
Contact: editorial@holidaymate.com | About the Author
Europe welcomed a staggering 747 million visitors in 2024—a post-pandemic tourism revival that has become both a blessing and a burden. While hospitality revenues and airline traffic have rebounded sharply, the continent's most iconic destinations are struggling under the weight of overtourism. Nowhere is this more visible than in the streets of Barcelona, the alleys of Venice, and the sun-soaked beaches of Mallorca, where locals are reaching a tipping point.
Over the summer, protests broke out across Spain's tourist hubs, with demonstrators in Mallorca and Barcelona resorting to water guns to symbolically "douse" visiting crowds. Signs reading "Tourists go home" have reappeared in multiple languages, and social media is teeming with viral clips of congestion, noise complaints, and housing grievances. According to AP News, the discontent is driven by a perfect storm: soaring rents, overcrowded public transport, and the disappearance of local culture.
At the heart of the issue is the surge in short-term holiday rentals. In cities like Barcelona, Malaga, and the Canary Islands, platforms like Airbnb have seen listings rise by 25% in two years. The trend has displaced long-term tenants and made affordable housing scarce. As Reuters reports, Spanish lawmakers are now drafting regulations to cap rental permits, while regions like Valencia and the Balearic Islands consider seasonal moratoriums on tourism development.
But the backlash isn’t confined to Spain. Across Southern Europe, grassroots activism is mounting. In Lisbon, locals are staging neighbourhood sit-ins to block tourist buses. Venice, having introduced an entrance fee in early 2024, is seeing dwindling local populations even as cruise ships return. Meanwhile, Athens and Dubrovnik are both trialling reservation systems for their ancient sites to avoid UNESCO intervention. The message is clear: the very charm that draws millions each year is at risk of vanishing.
Truthdig highlights that in cities where tourism accounts for up to 20% of GDP, striking a balance has never been more difficult. Many local governments walk a tightrope between economic growth and civic unrest. Some are investing in off-season incentives and encouraging visitors to explore lesser-known regions. Others, like Amsterdam, have begun actively discouraging tourism through targeted messaging and closure of nuisance attractions.
Tourism boards are also under pressure to rebrand. Instead of quantity-driven KPIs, focus is shifting to the "quality" of visitation. Sustainable tourism, cultural preservation, and resident well-being are becoming central themes in strategic planning.
Policy makers aren’t acting alone. At a grassroots level, communities are experimenting with their own interventions. From capping daily visitor limits to creating digital apps that reroute foot traffic in real time, innovation is emerging as a tool for resilience. For example, Florence has introduced a QR-coded visitor pass that tracks museum entries and provides discounts for eco-friendly behaviour.
The tourism surge has also raised questions about inclusivity and fairness. Who gets to travel freely in an increasingly restricted Europe? As visa rules tighten and digital travel permits like ETIAS approach full rollout, European residents feel the pinch from both inside and out. Meanwhile, younger travellers—especially Gen Z—are shifting their attention to under-the-radar destinations and longer, slower trips with local impact.
Travel and Tour World suggests this may be an inflection point. With climate concerns rising and socio-political pressure building, the tourism industry is being forced to reinvent itself. More digital nomads are being taxed. Cities are limiting cruise ships. And EU-wide efforts to quantify the social cost of tourism are gaining momentum.
Even Wikipedia has become a battleground of sorts. The entry for 2024 Anti-Tourism Protests in Spain has been edited hundreds of times in the past three months, reflecting intense public discourse. For the travel sector, this kind of attention is both opportunity and warning: ignore local sentiment, and the backlash may be more than symbolic.
As we move deeper into 2025, the European travel experience is being redefined not just by the traveller, but by the host. This new era calls for a more collaborative model—one in which sustainable tourism, community resilience, and respectful engagement aren’t just buzzwords but business essentials.
About the Author
Stuart Kerr is a travel correspondent for Holidaymate.com, covering trends in sustainable tourism, cultural mobility, and regional development across Europe. Contact him at editorial@holidaymate.com
