According to UN Tourism Barometer tourism is expected to recoup the entire loss from the corona pandemic and reach new record levels this year, with expected growth of 2 percent over 2019 levels. Also World Travel and Tourism Council predicts a record year for international tourism in 2024.
A popular destination is Mallorca. Last year, 14.4 million tourists traveled to the Balearic Islands of which Mallorca is a part. But it has major consequences for the local population who cannot afford to stay when tourists drive up prices on the housing market.
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Protesters: “Go home”
At the end of May, thousands of locals took to the streets of Palma in Mallorca to protest against mass tourism. Even in popular tourist destinations such as Barcelona and Venice, tourists can be met with messages such as “Barcelona is not for sale” and “go home”.
– We can always say that it is a collective responsibility. As tourists, we also need to think about how we behave, where we travel and when. But in the end it is a responsibility of politicians and leaders. So we have to look structurally at how we can work with regulation, says Carina Ren, tourism researcher at Aalborg University in Copenhagen to Foreign Office.
“Think of it as visiting a grandmother”
One who has personal experience of overtourism is Kiki Giora, who lives in Venice and has worked as a tourist guide for 15 years. She has a piece of advice for anyone visiting the immensely popular city.
– When you come to Venice, think of it as if you are visiting an old grandmother, an old wise grandmother. She is older and she needs your respect, she tells him Foreign Office.
How to be a better tourist – two experts from Mallorca and Venice give you tips in the video above.
See how countries have tackled overtourism in Europe i Foreign Office: Tourist bastards on SVT Play.