Overtourism in Europe: What you need to know

In recent years, protests or walkouts have marked some of Europe’s popular cities.

The Employees of the Louvre Museum Protestors gathered in Paris to protest. Protesters gathered by the thousands in Barcelona, cheering and holding signs that said things like “mass tourism kills the city,” and wielding water guns—the images have become synonymous with the movement against overtourism. Lisbonns staged an ‘eviction’ from a local church in order to draw attention to the cost of living that is caused by the rise of the short-term rental industry. 

Travelers who have planned, saved, and are eagerly anticipating their trip. European summer vacationsDemonstrations can have the opposite effect of a warm reception, making a vacation feel like a dilemma. The framework of local versus tourists is not new. Some people make the distinction between a tourist and a traveler. Getting to the bottom of these protests, and the feelings behind them is vital—for tourists, locals, and the cities at the center of the conversation. 

You need to be aware of overtourism.

Overtourism is a term that describes a number of things.

Katy Nastro is a travel expert who said, “Overtourism can be a bad thing.” Going. Travel + Leisure. “We as travelers tend to forget that locals live in these places every day. These communities were established long before they became popular. 

When a place becomes a must-see destination, it’s hard to know what this means. Nastro explained that these popular cities and sites were not designed to handle this type of traffic for years. 

It is not so obvious in the natural environment that a city has become popular. You can’t see trash or animals decimated. It is easy to see that beaches and forests are suffering due to a lack in conservation. However, the stress caused by too many tourists can be more difficult to detect. Helene Møgelhøj, a sustainable travel and regenerative tourism expert says that while locals will feel the impacts first, they will affect everyone—including tourists. 

“In big cities, the effects of over tourism are not necessarily immediately obvious to the visitor, apart from perhaps congestion and overcrowding,” Møgelhøj said. Local people may be affected by a significant increase in visitors, as it can result in a lack of affordable housing or a general increase in prices at local restaurants.

Overtourism is not only expensive, but it also reduces the ability of locals in a city to enjoy their home. Taxes are used to fund public infrastructure. Locals are forced to pay for the maintenance of an area they can’t fully enjoy because it is expensive and crowded.

Locals receive messages that tourism is beneficial to the local economy. In a sense, they should be grateful. That’s not inherently true—oftentimes, multinational corporations are the primary beneficiary of tourism spending, explains Møgelhøj.

She stated that “in today’s globalized economy, many tourism-related businesses and hospitality businesses are owned by and managed by multinationals.” “The majority do not directly benefit from an increase in visitors.” However, they may benefit from tourism indirectly through the so-called ‘multiplier’ effect, which means increased spending in the local economy overall due to tourism.”

No, this does not mean tourism is a bad thing. Asier Basurto, a member of the “tourism degrowth” group that helped organize some of the protests in San Sebastián, Spain, told The Guardian In a 2025 article, it is stated that tourists are not the enemy. 

Basurto stated in the article that “people who travel to one destination or another on vacation are not our enemy, nor are they our target.” “Let me make it clear: Our enemies are those that speculate on housing and who exploit workers. They also profit handsomely by the touristification of cities,” Basurto said in the article.

The bad guys are not the tourists

Møgelhøj believes that tourism can actually have a powerful, positive impact on local communities. “I believe that tourism is a force of good,” said Mogelhoj.

She also believes that the responsibility of tourism cannot be solely borne by visitors.  

“It is crucial to have an effective destination management organization in place that represents the interests of local people as well as large multinational stakeholders,” Møgelhøj says. “The local governments should be involved, as should the national government. Both have an important role to play in creating a positive, beneficial tourism policy, and strategic framework.”

Even in Spain, some of the largest anti-overtourism demonstrations have occurred, there are examples like this.

Manuel Butler, Director of the Spanish Tourist Office London, said in a T+L statement that “We need to put measures in place today in our most popular cities and resorts so that we can maintain a balance between a flourishing tourism industry and residents’ wellbeing, ensuring tourism remains a force for good in all.” “Proposed laws such as Barcelona’s crackdown on privately-let tourist apartments, and… adjustments in tourist taxes outside the winter months reflect Spain’s ongoing efforts towards building a responsible and sustainability tourism model.”

Nastro says that tourism must be “a fine balance between supporting the local economies, [and] “Keeping locals in their local economies.” 

Overtourism is a problem that travelers should be aware of.

Making more intentional choices as a traveler not only benefits locals—it also means you’re less likely to spend your trip in sweaty crowds and long lines. Here are Møgelhøj’ and Nastro’s tips for thoughtfully vacationing in ways that won’t contribute to (or be ruined by) overtourism. 

Avoid protests and other demonstrations. 

“Stay away from any protests and demonstrations so as not to aggravate the situation,” Møgelhøj said. 

Visit less-popular attractions by taking detours. 

“In general, walk or cycle around and take the opportunity to explore the lesser-known areas of any destination that you visit,” Møgelhøj said. The most memorable experiences are often the least planned.

Be responsible.

It’s pretty obvious, but showing respect for the culture and customs of locals and tourists can make a big difference. 

Stay informed 

Keep up to date with local news when you travel to avoid being surprised by protests.

Nastro warned: “First of all, make sure you know if there have been recent protests or plans in the city to which you’re traveling.” “… Keep up to date with local news outlets for the latest information on events. [That’s] “We’re going to provide you with more accurate and timely information than U.S. based outlets.”

You should know whom to contact in case of trouble. 

It’s always a good idea to have some emergency contacts on hand in case things go wrong on your trip—and it’s never a bad idea to know where the local U.S. embassy is.

Avoid travelling in high season. 

Both Nastro and Møgelhøj advise planning trips in the “off season” of your destination. Nastro advised that travelling in the shoulder season or, even better, the off-season is a good way to avoid waiting in long lines for some of the most famous sites in the world. 

Plan your trips to popular attractions in advance.

Visit a popular destination at a less busy time. Nastro recommends that you stay in a town nearby and take a day-trip to a popular destination.

Buy local.

Spending your money in a way that is intentional can make you a more “good” tourist. Nastro suggests staying at locally-owned and operated hotels and buying goods from small vendors or artisans. He also recommends venturing out of the busy city center to rural and off-the-beaten path destinations.