Each year, record numbers of travellers flock to the world’s top destinations as though they had no limitations. But cracks have started to get more apparent than ever before. 

With locals and landscapes stretched to their limits, strikes and protests have become increasingly frequent. This has inspired a growing recognition of the need for change and a proactive search for new strategies. Here, we summarise some of the root causes of problems in a few of the most affected cities and observe attempts and strategies that could bring us closer to potential solutions.

Destroying Attractions We Adore

The situation of mass tourism worsened with the pandemic, and many popular and beloved destinations have been excessively overwhelmed, threatening both the environment and locals’ livability. As a reaction, locals showed diverse forms of resistance on European sites, such as Barcelona and Venice — from guerilla actions to organised strikes. 

Just a few days ago, on Friday, residents of Lisbon called for a vote on banning tourist lets in residential blocks. A petition with 11,000 signatures was offered to the city council. The housing problems there are very similar to those in Barcelona. The impatience of inhabitants is exponentially growing, and environmental data is urging a drastic change yet to happen.

Dependency on Tourism Industry

Across Spain, protesters are voicing concerns about colonisation and calling for help in hopes of reclaiming what they once called their home. In Hallstatt, residents tried building a wall, and Italy is banning more and more things that were previously allowed.

Most experts agree that the situation is completely unsustainable in its current form, as overtourism has raised concerns over rising living costs, impossible housing prices, and the deformation of cultural identity in honey pot destinations. The list is just getting longer with fundamental factors such as excessive burdens on health services, waste management and water supplies, writes Euronews.

There are also economically ‘tempting’ factors that are used as common arguments in favour of further boosting the industry. These factors are primarily the creation of more job opportunities and the development of infrastructures. The issue with overtourism is overall very delicate, as many of these destinations rely economically heavily on the industry, making an immediate shift away from it nearly impossible. Some experts argue that cities usually depend solely on tourism as a last resort when no other alternatives are found.

“A lose-lose situation”

In top destinations, such as Spain, since the decline of COVID-19, a record number of travellers have arrived every year, making the affected cities and areas unlivable for locals. According to the Volkskrant, popular areas get severely exploited over time, and they become financially and sometimes even physically inaccessible to residents, not to mention the construction works surrounding the tourism industry, which endanger biodiversity, natural resources, and historic sites.

There is a tendency for a large part of the inhabitants to stay poor or at risk of poverty and social exclusion. On the one hand, many work for low wages in the tourism industry and on the other hand, others simply don’t benefit from the number of visitors infesting the cities. This is partly because a large number of guests stay in all-inclusive hotels and don’t necessarily spend much on local businesses. This is especially the case with the Canary Islands.

“It becomes a lose-lose situation, both for tourists, who won’t be able to fully enjoy the place they visit, and for residents, because costs increase and finding a home becomes a serious problem”

says Marina Lalli, president of Italy’s National Federation of the Travel and Tourism Industry in a report to BBC.

Drastic Changes in Barcelona

Barcelona’s mayor, Jaume Collboni, has described housing as the city’s “largest problem.” Over the past decade. Landlords have pushed out long-term residents in favour of short-term rentals, which has driven up rent so high that it has put housing out of reach for many, especially young residents. The city reacted to the situation as housing shortages and inequality rose, and the pressure grew.

Since 2016, no new licenses for vacation rentals have been issued, and thousands of former holiday apartments are returned to residents as long-term homes. As part of broader housing reforms, in 2022, Catalonia gave officials the power to convert vacant properties into ‘affordable housing’. To prioritise residents, the plan is to gradually eliminate all tourist apartments by November 2028. Focusing on long-term housing over short-term profits begins a significant shift toward sustainable urban living. Despite the actions taken so far, many of the problems are yet to be solved, triggering protests of thousands attending in July 2024. Watching the July protest in Barcelona, seeing people spraying water on tourists and shouting phrases like ‘this used to be my home,’ gives the impression that there is still a long way to go to make the city livable for locals. And as it’s often echoed, places where it’s good to live can also be better places to visit.

Exploring Different Ways

Besides Barcelona, cities like Lisbon, Berlin, and regions of the Canary Islands are also restricting short-term rentals to control gentrification and prioritise locals. Italy is exploring different ways to regulate visitor flows. Part of their plan would be to redirect more and more travellers to smaller, less visited cities. By doing so, they aim to ease the pressure on the usual hotspots such as Venice, Rome, and Florence. However, the execution of these plans, including building the necessary infrastructure, is yet to be solved. Pricing strategies targeting wealthier tourists are also considered, though critics worry that this would only exclude a group of travellers contributing to the country’s charm.

Italy IS indeed trying hard to take back control, looking at its recent “streak of nos.” According to the latest measures, no selfies in Portofino are allowed, no more big cruise ships in Venice, no free entry for day-trippers, no tourist buses along the Amalfi coast, and no lounging on Rome’s Spanish Steps and travellers can be fined up to €2,500 for flip-flops on Cinque Terre trails. These strict regulations illustrate well how severely Italy reacted to problems related to overtourism. — Thoroughly summarised by Anna Bressanin in a BBC article.

Demands for Stricter Regulations

Residents in larger cities increasingly demand stricter regulations on tourist housing, while medium-sized cities promote making off-seasons more attractive to disperse crowds throughout the entire year, according to the Guardian. 

From graffiti to hunger strikes, residents in affected areas are pushing back. Some places have increased tourism taxes, while locals have posted fake signs to deter passersby. Demonstrators call for caps on arrivals and a halt on new vacation accommodations. Others would go further with stricter property rules for foreign buyers and introducing an “eco-tax.”

Venice came up with an entry fee to solve the “museum city” problem, and Barcelona’s mayor is devoted to cutting back on vacation apartment rentals in the upcoming years. Meanwhile, popular destinations such as Mallorca and Dubrovnik are both capping cruise ship arrivals.

Lisbon’s referendum for housing last Friday aims to reduce short-term rentals in the city centre. It would still be possible to book short-term stays only in buildings registered for commercial use, such as hotel apartments and hostels, not residential blocks. By this, residents who participated hope to take a step closer to a city they would like to provide for students, the elderly and everyone, not only for the wealthy.

What’s next? New Strategies Ahead!

It’s time to consider how the lives of residents could be improved. In some cases, positive changes are already underway. A great example is Copenhagen’s recent pilot program, CopenPay, which encourages sustainable travel behaviour. Programs like this could easily start a new trend by giving travellers accessible and fun opportunities to give back and contribute to a greener, more sustainable model.

The program motivates travellers through encouraging advertisements and small rewards. It promotes sustainable choices and educates people on the simplicity of participating in activities that help preserve the livability of their destinations.

Apart from the restrictions and limitations mentioned above, more new strategies are suggested. These strategies would include promoting rural tourism and fostering connections with nature over visits to honeypot destinations. Investments in local communities through responsible tourism management are also essential. 

Educating tourists is the absolute Joker when it comes to improving locals’ living standards. As it is known, many tourists still maintain the mindset that having paid “a lot” for their trip should allow them to enjoy it exactly as they wish, creating tension between tourists and locals. 

However, with the right ways of sharing information, ‘education’ could potentially form this approach to something closer to what suits the interests of locals. It’s a combination of information and education.

Spotted by Locals plays an integral role here by sharing authentic, locally-driven insights that encourage respectful tourism. By connecting visitors with local perspectives, we foster a more considerate approach to tourism, aligning with the needs and interests of the communities visitors explore.

Although not all solutions may be effective enough, problems have been addressed, at least in many cases. As Peter DeBrine, UNESCO’s senior project officer for sustainable tourism said to The Guardian:

“We have a small window here to start to make some changes and to try different things… The goal is to become more sustainable, so how do we get there?”

Understanding the immense burdens posed by the tourism industry, it’s clear that they have to be taken seriously and regulated just like other industries. Although each area requires a personal approach, the focus must be on the needs of residents.

About the author | Eszter Baracskai lives and works in Budapest. She is a Spotter and editor for Spotted by Locals, holds a Master’s degree in Cultural Diplomacy and is currently pursuing a second Master’s in Translation and Interpretation.