Anti-tourism protests break out in Spain, Italy and Portugal

I've heard of the protests in Barcelona before, and also in Venice and other parts of Italy. I think it is up to the civic leaders to take a stand if that's what they've got to do to put the best interests of the locals first.

I had recently considered going to Barcelona and reconsidered when realizing how hostile they are towards tourism (and honestly, I'm not blaming them one bit, I do sympathize.). Most of us here want to travel respectfully and responsibly, but our sheer numbers are just too big of a burden on their infrastructure.

I'm even thinking long and hard about my upcoming trip to Italy. Other than into Naples and out of Rome (because of airports, obviously) we're planning to hit smaller towns but I don't know if that is a helpful thing or not. I don't want to be part of the problem!

Interesting that chants and some of the banners and signs are in English, and referring to tourists’ “holidays.” Are they directing the message to a particular set of visitors?

The water pistols must be a semi-passive form of aggression. I suppose anyone squirted could react with a, “thanks for cooling me off, it’s soooo hot here!”

One quote in the Sky story talked about “tenuous” income in tourism. If it’s so crowded, the revenue would seem to be certain.

I live where tourism is a main part of the economy, and summer tourist season has already kicked off, in full swing. It’s a double-edged situation; affordable housing gets harder and harder for many, not because there’s a shortage of residence options, but the rents and selling prices keep going up. Additional “affordable” housing projects are under construction, so that could help, but the wear on the existing infrastructure is increasing exponentially. We’re over a thousand miles from the nearest cruise port, so that particular situation doesn’t exist here.

The Sky story also suggests the problems in Barcelona go back more than 60 years, when Franco still ran the show. How much mass-tourism was happening back then? Is there a “Good Old Days” the cities having the protests want to see return?

I loved Barcelona when I was there going on one year but I was there in October which is less crowded. And found people very nice. No bad feelings. No protests.

They were having the Louis Vuitton races and no one seemed unhappy with the races which brought in. a lot of people. And a lot of money

I live in Austin Tx and we do not have to worry about over tourism thanks to nature. There is something about 100 degrees day after day for months that discourages over tourism but yet people come to visit and we love our tourists.

But yet we have a very bad problem with the homeless because of the lack of affordable housing. Many others have had to move outside of Austin because the cost of living is so high in Austin.

The problem has nothing to do with over tourism. It actually has to do with a city that is very successful.

I can relate to how the ordinary people of Barcelona feel but if they drive out the tourist, they may find out how many residents depend on tourism.

They should be shouting at their elected and appointed officials for not being more responsive to the needs of the people, not the tourists

But the demonstration looks pretty threatening even if it was only water guns.

And what is this thing with water guns? Last year, Barcelona was in a. very bad drought.

There are other place to visit. It will be a shame for everyone, the visitors and the residents.

Interesting that chants and some of the banners and signs are in
English, and referring to tourists’ “holidays.” Are they directing the
message to a particular set of visitors?

Probably just reflects that they learned ("learnt") British English, and say it the way most Europeans do - holidays.

One quote in the Sky story talked about “tenuous” income in tourism.
If it’s so crowded, the revenue would seem to be certain.

Well yes, and no. Cruise ships pull up and disgorge thousands of day trippers who spend very little money in the ports of call - their lodging and meals are included on their cruise. The cruise tourists buy cheap souvenirs and some cheap meals, but probably don't generate enough revenue to offset the strain on the infrastructure.

The Sky story also suggests the problems in Barcelona go back more than 60 years, when Franco still ran the show. How much mass-tourism was happening back then? Is there a “Good Old Days” the cities having the protests want to see return?

Mass tourism to Spain started in the 60's and ramped up right through the 70's and 80's. The executive from AirBnB quoted is conflating two different issues to cloud the argument. The problem in decades gone by was centred around the Costas; huge swathes of coastal Spain were concreted over and high rise hotels built for the package holiday market. This impacted the life of people who lived in the sleepy fishing villages that were mercilessly redeveloped. People largely didn't take holidays in Spanish cities back then. Mass tourism to European cities is a relatively modern phenomenon.

Stella covered your point about about English. I'd add that English is the language that reaches the most foreigners in Spain. The majority of visitors wouldn't have the Spanish or Catalan to understand the points being presented. British English vocabulary is what people right across Europe learn in school, as Stella points out.

One of their chants goes : "their greed brings us ruin." Just who is this aimed at? It's not the tourists' greed, it's the local and country governments' greed. That and the air bnb properties' greed that's just as big a problem. They're hesitant to turn off the tourist tap.

I thought travel to Europe was down this year?

I understand their protests. It’s too much about mass consumption and too much about the money. With little or no respect for local communities and their needs.

If you are really interested in the local people and their way of life you have nothing to fear. You are always welcome. But I see too much lovely places turned in no time into the playground of commerce as soon as it appears on the radar as mustsee for a wider audience. Attracting visitors with superficial interests. Step by step loosing their appeal. That really hurts.

If we treat places with respect it deserves we can enjoy it for many generations to come. If we see it as something to exploit and actually abuse it this way, so indeed you talk about greed, no wonder you get protests.

Think it’s important that everybody sees it’s role in this and with that it's own responsebility. Pointing to each other who is to blame makes no sense.

It's all a matter of balance.

You probably don't get it on your TV channels but where I live (Australia), there is a TV show called A Place in the Sun. It's a UK show that has realtors showing British couples holiday properties for sale in the Mediterranean, mostly Spain. It has been going for a long time and so there seem to be thousands of back episodes. It is much like House Hunters International. I watch it sometimes and the properties are mostly 1-2 bedroom houses / apartments, generally cheaper properties. And with the exchange rates, the British have a lot of buying power. It strikes me that a phenomenon like this - although you might think it on a small scale - would also be responsible for pushing up the prices of homes in that part of the world. I suspect that we see only a fraction of what is happening, since it seems to be a 'Thing', enough that you can base several seasons of a series on this. I don't think that the Spanish perception of tourism is such a joke. People are feeling the strain, especially those people who are being priced out of those cheaper properties. Something I am chewing on, anyway.

EDIT: And I don't mean to point the finger at the UK particularly, you could also talk about tourism from several other countries in Europe to Spain. We get tourism from Britain also but it is of manageable levels - we are not just a couple of hours away, a flight from Europe to Australia is 24 hours!

Lavandula

The over tourism problem seems to have worsened considerably in the last few years, and especially since travel resumed after the pandemic. I've visited most of the cities mentioned in the articles, and never once felt any animosity from the residents. I wish I knew what the solution is to solve this problem.

One of many problems in Barcelona is that young Brits and Europeans use it as a party venue. The weekends bring waves of partying stag parties, bachelorette parties, and just plain street parties all night long. Plenty of stuff being sold to them on the Ramblas.

The over tourism problem seems to have worsened considerably in the
last few years, and especially since travel resumed after the
pandemic. I've visited most of the cities mentioned in the articles,
and never once felt any animosity from the residents. I wish I knew
what the solution is to solve this problem.

At what point does "over tourism" exist?

One of many problems in Barcelona is that young Brits and Europeans
use it as a party venue. The weekends bring waves of partying stag
parties, bachelorette parties, and just plain street parties all night
long. Plenty of stuff being sold to them on the Ramblas.

Is there something in the national constitution that prevents closing bars at midnight? If not, why do you suppose they allow this to continue?

I guess there are two perspectives. Local and international.

I checked and elections for city council are held every four years in Barcelona. That makes it a democracy where the majority of the people can determine the course the city takes. Apparently, the majority of the citizens of Barcelona do not share the opinions of the protesters and well-meaning international outsiders on the subject of overtourism and drunk British kids.

From an international point of view, if it is that crowded people might want to stay away. But I suspect it will be like the fruit fly in the jar experiment where when the population hits critical mass it self corrects …. Hopefully not to the other extreme.

As for the protesters, I guess they are having fun and through their forceful action might get to acheive ends that are not supported by the majority.

I just wanted to add some important context which was covered in the Guardian:

"Despite the spate of fear-inducing headlines in some media, the aim was not to attack tourists, said Asier Basurto, a member of the “tourism degrowth” platform that organised a march in the Basque city of San Sebastián. “People who go on vacation to one place or another are not our enemies, nor are they the target of our actions,” he said. “Let me be clear: our enemies are those who speculate on housing, who exploit workers and those who are profiting handsomely from the touristification of our cities.”"

From: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/jun/15/campaigners-mount-coordinated-protests-across-europe-against-touristification

“Let me be clear: our enemies are those who speculate on housing, who exploit workers and those who are profiting handsomely from the touristification of our cities.”

That's exactly how I've always understood the protests. I think countries, cities, and communities are slowly waking up and recognizing their power. The destruction of urgently needed housing for vacation apartments really must stop. Of course, I am talking about illegal rentals and not about officially holiday accommodations.

Of course, I am talking about illegal rentals and not about officially
holiday accommodation.

Speaking of Barcelona. So, you are NOT talking about the 10,000 licensed short-term rentals. Thats good. The count of the illegal ones is hard to find good data on, somewhere between 5 and 20 thousand. But apparently the city is doing a fair job at shutting down the illegal ones. Odd, didn’t notice this subject on any of the signs in the protests.

The mayor has promised that the legal short-term rentals will be gone in 3 years thanks to the non-renewal of licenses. I didn’t read about any legislation preventing the construction of 10,000 replacement hotel rooms. Will returning 10,000 relatively high-end apartments to the existing stock of 290,000 change much for the poor. And if eliminating the short-term rentals were to reduce tourism by let’s say 20% would the social good be greater than the ill caused by the loss of 60,000 jobs and 1.5 billion euro in revenue?

Has the small group of protestors and have the outside agitators and well-meaning outside activists that support and egg them on and comply with their demands know enough about the full picture to even have an educated opinion? I don’t want to be responsible for collateral damage that I cannot even begin to evaluate.

So, I think a good tourist listens, attempts to learn and understand, but accepts the fact that there is no way, not a citizen and not vested in the location, that they can begin to make value judments on the subject.

As long as you have a license, I can't say anything against it. But as a city, you have to ask yourself whether it's okay to issue so many licenses. In times of scarce and expensive housing, cities simply shouldn't issue so many. Letting the licenses expire is at least a plan.

I often hear the argument that construction should take place when housing is scarce. Yes, definitely. However, I don't think many tourists want their vacation homes in the suburbs :-) They would prefer apartments in the city, preferably in the beautiful old buildings. But the locals also like to live in the beautiful old houses in the old towns. So it's not that simple, no matter how you look at it, but something has to be done before things escalate completely.

Mignon, we agree in the broadest terms. My only issue is, as my dear mother used to say; the road to he** is paved with good intentions. I wish I was all knowing about housing issues in all neighborhoods in Europe. What i am certain of is that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. People tend to overlook that. I think its reckless to recite a mantra when peoples jobs and livelyhoods are on the line. I only know my one street, my street, with enough certainty to want to take the responsibility for my words.

I completely agree with you Mr Ë. There are always pros and cons and as the German saying goes 'the devil is in the details'.

In Germany, it's been agreed that each village/city must find its own way to deal with this issue. It's probably a good solution because not everyone has the same problems with this topic.

Hello StellaB

I take one cruise a year and always stay a few nights pre-cruise and sometimes post cruise. I spent 3 or 4 nights in Barcelona pre-cruise.

The majority of cruisers stay overnight pre or post cruise like myself.

But we visit ports for usually just a few to several hours.

And while it is true that thousands of passengers might descend on one port at the same time, we pay for excursions. Guides and drivers are locals. We tip. We eat and we buy as well as pay port fees and tips. Cruise passengers also make donations.

I am the one who buys refrigerator magnets and postcards but I have seen some of what the other passengers buy and many things are very beautiful and also very expensive.

There is not a lot of time to eat so i usually buy some street food but other passengers do go inside a really nice restaurant if time allows. A lot of people are foodies and eating authentic regional and local food is of high importance to those persons. If not. a restaurant, they go for drinks.

I take excursions offered through Norwegian but other passengers take taxis or book excursions through locals only including private guides . I have met passengers who choose to take an excursion through the locals only. They will not go through Norwegian because they want to be certain that they re supporting the locals.

I am on a tight budget but many cruise passengers are fortunate enough to be more affluent than myself And many cruise passengers are very aware politically sensitive and environmentally sensitive people.

I feel that cruise ships and cruise passengers get a bad rap.

This is old news. Same complaint for years. It seems the protesters cannot get politicians to pay attention or can the protesters get themselves elected. Protesting is absolutely useless. VOTE for your issue and find someone to carry the issue forward on your behalf. My gut tells me that the vast majority of people in these cities do not side with the protestors, otherwise changes would have happen by now.

The pen might be mightier than the sword, but the water pistol is strongest of all. Just a few squirts and the whole travel community is buzzing again about the detrimental effects of overtourism in Barcelona.

While its true that many cruise passengers add more strain to infrastructure than they offset with purchases, its also true that cruise ships don't show up hoping for a parking spot. Its planned years in advance with port authorities, so again it goes back to government decisions.

Barcelona is a main port for embarkation and debarkation, so likely gets more overnight visitors than ports that are mainly day visits.

My gut tells me that the vast majority of people in these cities do
not side with the protestors, otherwise changes would have happen by
now.

Threadware, you are probably correct. But in Barcelona something has happened, no more short term rental licenses. In 3 years, they will all be gone. I doubt it will change the number of tourists or affect low income housing costs one cent. But people will feel good that they accomplished something.

Threadware, you are wrong about things changing if a majority of the residents want it to change. As someone who lives in an overtouristed area, local and especially state governments don't care about the residents. All they care about is the money to be made from tourism. When our island had a vote to limit the number of short-term rentals(of which there were already half as many as the total population of our island), the Chamber of Commerce and Real Estate Companies funded a campaign to convince voters that limiting the number of short-term rentals would take away their right to manage their property as they saw fit. Even worse, in SC, the state legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit local governments from limiting the number of short-term rentals because they want the tourism dollars and residents in the rest of the state want those rentals and the parking spots in front of people's houses. And although the Charleston area is by far the largest metropolitan area in SC (3 of the 4 most populated cities are in the Charleston area), we are still outnumbered by the rest of the state.

The biggest problem with tourism is that a lot of them have decided to move down here, making housing unaffordable for those living on SC-sized salaries. In Mt Pleasant, historic black neighborhoods are being replaced by new subdivisions where houses cost at least a million dollars, which is a lot of money for a house in South Carolina. The bottom salary to qualify for the so-called "affordable housing" being built in our area is almost twice the income of a teacher, policeman or fireman. and the top income limit is almost three times the salaries of those workers. The entire Charleston area is completely different from what it was like at the beginning of this century and most of those changes have not been for the better.

Soon it will be "no one goes there anymore. It's too crowded". Me. I don't want to go where I am not welcome.

It's interesting to see that there was significant chanting of "tourists no, refugees yes" which seemed a bit ironic as where do they expect the refugees to go and who's going to pay for them? Plus there was the predictable chants of "free Palestine" which has nothing to do with the issues the protesters are complaining about. It seems to me that a lot of the protesters are the usual rabble that turn out to protest at any given opportunity.

Do you think they are against all tourism or just tourists that come during high season? Barcelona is a place I would like to visit someday, I am a mid February traveler. Just wondering if I will run into hostility during that time. Do you think they want to reduce tourism or completely eliminate it? The signs and the water guns give the appearance that they want all tourism to go away, except I assume, their own citizens who might be on vacation.

Just wondering if I will run into hostility during that time. Do you think they want to reduce tourism or completely eliminate it? The signs and the water guns give the appearance that they want all tourism to go away, except I assume, their own citizens who might be on vacation.

In February, no you will not run into hostility, these sentiments are stirred up in the high tourism months of the summer. You will have more to worry about things being closed down as it's the off season.

In Barcelona, our issue isn’t with tourists themselves, but with overtourism and how the system is structured. The benefits of tourism aren’t reaching the local community, there’s no "trickle-down effect". What we need is balance, and right now the imbalance is driving a cost of living and housing crisis.

This isn’t just about everyday annoyances, short-term rentals and investor demand are pushing housing prices out of reach. Foreign speculators, including many wealthy Russians, are snapping up properties in Madrid, Barcelona, and along the Mediterranean, pricing out us locals.

The paradox is, in Spain over 4 million homes, including 400,000 vacation rentals, sit vacant, and more than 2.5 million are used only occasionally as second or third homes.

We want more "Rick Steves" type tourists, but that's another issue of many tourists in Barcelona who take more than they give. The people on this forum are not the issue, but the solution.

"tourists no, refugees yes"
I googled the above.
1 hit.

And your point is?

Much ado about very little, so far as I can tell. I'm unlikely to change my travel plans based on the opinions of a fringe cohort of the Spanish or Italian population.

We felt extremely welcome last summer in Italy. I expect much the same this summer in Spain. I'd note that I have no more desire to go to Barcelona than these fringe protesters want to see me.

@ David from Cleveland, are you insinuating that because you received one hit that the information I provided was wrong? There's footage from the march yesterday showing protestors chanting "tourists go home, refugees welcome", there's footage including one woman on a tuktuk type bike setup with signs stating tourists go home and calling out for cruise ships to be banned (I'm not sure how cruise passengers are responsible for the housing crisis) whilst flying a Palestinian flag??? There's footage of people placing stickers all over shop windows with 'tourists go home' written on them. Smoke bombs and other pyrotechnics being thrown in a hostel doorway and so on. The organisers claim that their quarrel is not with tourists themselves but the message they're giving out suggests otherwise along with completely unrelated issues.

Thank you Carlos for your insights. A couple of years ago I was in the Andalusia region (Seville, Granada) in February and besides the area not being crowded, there was a "happy" vibe with the families on vacation (grandparents, parents, children). I loved their interactions, especially the kids running around and the grandmothers smiling.

But in Barcelona something has happened, no more short term rental licenses. In 3 years, they will all be gone. I doubt it will change the number of tourists or affect low income housing costs one cent. But people will feel good that they accomplished something.

Nothing will change. Sorry to say, but monthly apartment rents will just rise. Then it will be rich locals vs poorer locals who can afford the new rents. This happens in every major city in the world. The most desirable apartments get more expensive the closer you live to the city center. Unless there is some sort of rent control laws, many people won't be able to afford to live closer to the city center and then they will be right back to where they are today. Tourists will still be there. They will just be staying in aparthotels that will be built.

Sorry to say, but monthly apartment rents will just rise.

I like to think of it as apartment value will rise. Not a bad thing here where the 90% of families own the property in which they live, and where there are no property taxes.

My problem with the anti-short-term rental folks is that there is no reasoned argument, just a mantra that gets repeated. How else could you understand people who think the situation in Hoboken, NJ is identical to Barcelona?

My problem with the anti-tourism folks is who gets to define what the definition of "over tourism" is? The guy making the living off the tourism or the chronically unemployed student?

In both situations I have enough respect for the locals in places like Barcelona to trust they will do what they feel is best for their situation, even if that is different than what the folks in Hoboken think people in Barcelona should be doing.

And today in Paris....
https://apnews.com/article/louvre-museum-paris-closed-lines-delay-2bbf9be4f49de739fd14dd4d908e4d72

While overtourism can be quite obvious I am not sure where the actual line between tourism and overtourism is.

I think it is naive to think elected officials will do what is best, typically they do what wins them votes and what helps their personal financial situation.

The line between tourism and overtourism is reached when people are out in the streets as they are. Because people will usually put up with a whole lot of problems until a certain point.

I would think the line between tourism and overtourism was probably crossed well before people started protesting.
My gut tells me the difference is at the point where the benefits don't match the harm.
Mt Everest is an example.
The income generated by climbing expeditions is huge in relation to the Nepalese economy. But now the pollution, exploitation and lives lost etc have tipped the scales. Now the government is looking to rein it all in but at the same time they don't want to miss out on all that money.
The line had certainly been breeched by 2015 but exactly when is hard to know for sure.

The news article I read said 600 showed up for the protests in Barcelona. That would be about 0.03% of the population. Is that the thereshold for determining the future of the city? But to be fair, looked like more yesterday, maybe even a 1000 throwing smoke bombs at tourists and Spanish tourist workers (hotel staff). All the interviews i heard they seemed to want no tourism, but money from a yet undetermined source instead. Wouldnt it be wise to develop the replacement before killing the goose?

At what point is hurling dangerous things (or squirting) at other people, no matter how you feel about them, considered inappropriate? Are charges or police intervention appropriate, or is this freedom of “speech?”

We tourists/travelers/visitors are cautioned about pickpockets and scam artists, but that hasn’t prevented lots of us going places, on vacation. Lots of posts on this Forum a few months ago asked whether Americans would by accepted in European destinations, to the point that future posts about that were ceased by the Forum administrators. But is the possibility of attacks a concern, making people decide not to go somewhere, even if that’s what the protesters are trying to achieve? What happens when somebody actually gets hurt?

cyn, I had some cynical comments, but I think the video answers your questions without my commentary.

https://youtu.be/vanx3jqKKGc?si=ohoJbibj_gUTdhl2

Overtourism is when there are more tourists in a neighborhood than permanent residents and when many of the newer residents are not even from the same country(or in the case of Charleston, from the same part of the country). Overtourism is when many homes sit empty during non-tourist season so residents are surrounded by empty houses rather than having human neighbors present. A man who lives in downtown Charleston said that after Hurricane Hugo in 1989, all his neighbors helped each other but now only 6 people on his street are permanent residents. And then there are the seasons when it takes an hour to drive 4 miles to the grocery store.

Charleston sounds like a lovely place. https://youtu.be/GLQchDJu1eg?si=h6Dd2WGs28IF9P0u.

It is a tourism city. Do the locals respond badly to the tourists that are from other countries, or look different? Or just the ones that want to live there?

Send them to Texas, we welcome everyone... even the California refugees (but only in Austin).

Apparently tourism (overtourism?) generated 14 billion USD for Charleston last year Cala. I am guessing it will be a tough battle to try and get those in charge to make decisions that might reduce tourist numbers.

As an aside Beatles related revenue brings in $104 million to Liverpool, but I don't think there is a problem with over-tourism there, but the amount of money is staggering, imo, for a band that broke up 55 years ago.

With 14 billion going into a town with only a couple hundred thousand citizens, it must be a pretty sweet place to live. Really? That much?. So, if it got cut in half how many would lose their jobs, and not being local born, hopefully move away?

Is Charleston the Barcelona of the US? I'm not aware that Charlestonians, as a race, are impolite to anyone but I think the tourists who are here right now would welcome a nice shot of cold water from a water gun. They would already be soaking wet, so it shouldn't be a problem for them. Relative to the comment "It must be a pretty sweet place to live", yes we do have great trash and recycling pick-up here during the summer and we can entertain ourselves cheaply by looking to see how many people got tickets for incorrect parking at the beach.(Don't knock it until you've tried it) Unlike Barcelona, it is my understanding that cruises no longer begin in Charleston but do still dock here.

The bigger problem in Charleston is all the tourists who decide to move here permanently. I would prefer at least a few of the people I know here to be from here(loosely defined as the Southeast), rather than from thousands of miles away and I would like to have neighbors who spend a significant amount of time living at their house here. Mr. E, I would prefer them not to be fans of Ohio State and Michigan(they should all be like the couple I met from Michigan who said they were GA fans because their son lived in Atlanta) I think people in Spain would not like fans of Manchester United moving there.

I would like government and business entities to stop pushing more short-term rentals down our throats. Small family beach houses were replaced by seven bedroom mansions to rent. Mr. E, many of those tourist dollars go to people who live outside the Charleston area who bought property here for the rental revenue, although the real estate companies who make a lot of money managing these rentals obviously employ locals, most of whom don't make enough to live here. I will go out on a limb here and say that that much money coming into a place will always ruin the place because love of money(in this case by government and business officials) is the root of many sins.

Perhaps part of the problem is our conduct. If we behave as guests instead of entitled tourists, that would have a positive impact. But too few of us behave in such a manner. I mention this as I believe there is more to the topic than short-term rentals, mobs descending upon towns from cruise ships, and financial matters. It's about quality of life beyond the issues mentioned.

Some of us--and I've seen it too often--can act like real prima donnas when traveling, as if everything is about me-me-me.

can act like real prima donnas when traveling

I've experienced this before, and I'm sure I've behaved incorrectly myself. I think you're right, though. I don't work in the service industry myself, but I've noticed that some people's expectations are getting higher and higher. In doing so, some forget that they're dealing with another human being who, while paid to serve them, is ultimately just a human being and not a robot.
The expectations of what some people believe they're entitled to because they paid a lot for their vacation are sometimes too high. And what I also find unbelievable is that some don't even bother to research their vacation destination and then complain that this or that was different from home. There will always be things you don't like on vacation, but everyone should bring a healthy dose of realism, adaptability, patience, and friendliness when they go on vacation.

And one must never forget that every village, town, city or region is a living organism, with locals on their way to work, doing a quick grocery shopping on the way home, sitting in a bar with friends in the evening, and so on. As a tourist, you're just a small part of it, one that has no direct significance for most locals (so if we are not talking about pure tourist villages). So they won't adapt to tourists. Why should they? It's nice when, as a tourist, I'm exposed to another world that isn't entirely tailored to my needs, like an amusement park.

But the vast majority of those who take the chance to inform themselves in a Forum like this also have a great interest in learning something about their holiday destination and will therefore not behave so badly.

This is what happens when you forget to say thank you: https://youtube.com/shorts/CWaWaDw2TJA?si=D0x-Cp7kfUoCnmnj

A little irony.....a couple I know in California are currently in Barcelona.

They're complaining they missed the "No King" rally in the US and the anti-tourism march in Barcelona. (They were too busy sightseeing.)

They, of course, are not the problem, they claim, as they are considerate tourists.

Did I mention they're bragging about the wonderful AirBnb they're renting near the center of the city?

They don't get it.

Cities and regions complaining of over-tourism have the power through taxes and regulation to reduce considerably tourism. True in Barcelona. True in Charleston. I understand that national and state governments may try to override the wishes of those living in the affected communities (and I appreciate totally Cala's lament that the South Carolina legislature, wanting the revenue engendered by tourism, has sought to impose limits on what local governments can and cannot do). But the tourism industry there and elsewhere is so powerful because of the revenue the industry generates, which is based on how much in the local economy tourists pay for services and in taxes. It is not happenstance that often when a city decides to build a new football stadium, the tax rate paid by those staying in hotels and renting cars increases materially. If government actions do not reflect the wishes of the majority of the citizenry, the problem lies not in tourists but in your political system.

However, it seems that over-tourism is being blamed for an assortment of social ills for which it is at worse a contributing factor and not the actual cause. (On a recent trip to Paris, my hotel room faced the small side street the hotel was located on. The noise outside didn't stop until 5 a.m. because of the bars on the street. I suspect that nearly everyone in the crowd was a young Parisian.) There are a number of cities in the US and Europe where the cost of housing has soared and where those with modest or even good incomes can no longer afford to live. The principal reason is that those cities are economically thriving and people want to move there because of jobs and lifestyle. Seattle has a huge problem with reasonable housing. The reason isn't tourists. In the last 30 years, we have been seeing an economic upheaval. Over-tourism may be a symptom, but as far as causes, it is sitting in the back of the classroom.

And one final note: I do not feel an ounce of guilt over visiting any city or region. Like 99.9 percent of the people who participate in these forums, I try to show respect for where I am and who lives there. I financially help their hotels, restaurants and taxi drivers. I pay taxes that go to the local community. I contribute to their museums, theaters and other entertainment venues. (Anyone think that London's West End doesn't love tourists.) And regarding, say, museums, they can readily charge a reduced rate for locals. And as far as using public transportation at certain times of the day, I am paying for that service and contributing to the system's maintenance and expansion. Frankly, I think when I leave a destination, people should thanking me for visiting.

I feel that cruise ships and cruise passengers get a bad rap.

Hmmm....well there are articles which have another point of view. Such as this one. An excerpt from the article says this:

One of the biggest arguments supporters make for keeping cruise ships is their contribution to the local economy. But do guests on these giant vessels actually spend money in the towns they dock at? Several studies have shown that passengers disembarking from ships don’t contribute as much to the local economy as you might think. With all the food, drink and souvenirs they could ever want available on board, the money stays at sea.

The article also talks about the environmental impact of the ships. So maybe there are some legitimate reasons cruise ships "get a bad rap."

However, it seems that over-tourism is being blamed for an assortment of social ills for which it is at worse a contributing factor and not the actual cause.

RJ,

I agree with your post 100%. The problems mentioned in all these "over-tourism" articles have been in existence for many, many years before the word was even invented. Because of the chicness of protesting in today's world and having a "cause", over-tourism is now the blame "flavor of the day".

All the cities mentioned in these articles have been crowded with tourists for many, many years. Because there is an economic shift whereby some people have been more fortunate financially than others, blame has to be laid. Tourists have received the blame incorrectly for the economic shifts of the community.

It is like the mantra about the rich paying their "fair share" of taxes. No one can define "fair share", just like no one can really put their finger on why neighborhoods become more expensive to live in then other neighborhoods.

If you have ever lived in a urban area you have seen neighborhoods change economically, some for the better, some for the worse. Some humans just have to blame somebody or some thing for their condition or station in life. It is always someone else's fault.

RJ hit the nail on the head so many times that the nail may have reached Barcelona. Great summary of what I see as being the truth.

I'm quite fed up with tourism being blamed for problems that result from local bad decisions. Certainly some tourism components like huge cruise ships docking simultaneously in cities that are not capable of dealing with the crush can create huge problems. But all the local government needs to do to address the problem is to limit port calls. If they are unwilling to do that, preferring the revenue, that's not the fault of tourists.

RJ are you married? Cause i love you.

How does the expression go?

“Someone is at fault and that someone is not me.”

What if that someone is someone else and maybe also just a wee bit us too?

Could be, right?

I dunno. Mostly I blame myself. But that is for good reason.

I am sympathetic to local protestors against tourism. I am not saying they are right. I am not saying they are wrong. When they complain that costs are up, quality of life is degraded, well, I want to hear more and wonder what, if anything, I should do— or shouldn’t do (like not use Airbnbs.) I find squirt guns to be too much though.

I also factor in protests into my travel planning. I love Barcelona. I am less likely to visit it again soon because of the protests. Does this mean I rule out Barcelona, Spain, Italy and Portugal altogether? No.

Just keeping my ear to the rail.

Happy travels.

This is a forum for tourists, so obviously we are going to explain at
length that over tourism isn't really our fault! Sure we can blame the
local government, but it doesn't alter the simple fact that we are
also at fault. When we visit a city that doesn't need or want us, then
we are to blame as well.

Yes, you're right. When we complain about the crowds or too many tourists at a spot - well if we're there to witness it, then we're ONE of them. I felt like that when I went to the Cinque Terre and all the people thronging the streets were speaking English (and a smattering of other foreign languages) but the only people speaking Italian were those who worked there. Yes, I was "one of the crowd of tourists," so how could I complain? But I'll never go back there. It is beautiful - yes - but I don't want to be part of that crowd again.

So not sure how we are supposed to mitigate the frustration expressed by cities suffering from over tourism except to avoid them. Maybe we can't be part of the solution, but at the very least we can try to contribute less to the problem by dispersing ourselves to lesser traveled destinations.

Nick, when can we say, and who can say, that a city does not want tourists? Certainly, the hotels, the restaurants, the taxi drivers, the tour guides and tour companies want them. Certainly, some multiplier effect exists in the local community from the money tourists spend. And I am assuming the tax money received by the local government exceeds the cost of any additional social services caused by tourism that local government has to pay for.

Perhaps those living in or near New York City can correct me, but there is a mayor's race taking place in New York, and I am reading that the candidates are largely talking about the importance of tourism to the city's economy.

I live across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans, and there is never a time--not the Super Bowl, not Mardi Gras, not Jazz Fest--when the city feels it has too many tourists and does not welcome those who visit. In fact, the restaurant industry is heavily dependent on tourists, and the complaint here is that not enough people come to visit in the summer months. Yes, there has been debate over and action taken with Airbnbs, but the prevailing attitude is thank you for coming--and spending your money here.

And Mr. E, for several reasons, I am not your type--I can't pull for that football team that wears maroon and white, especially when they play the guys in purple and gold. But I would welcome a cocktail--or should I say glass of wine because you are so often in Budapest--with you anytime so that I can explain how the SEC works.

David, you are still assuming that when balancing all the factors for the good and bad as perceived by the majority of the locals based on their cultural values and financial needs that there is still a fault. I am not all knowing enough to reach that conclusion.

Nope, enjoy to tge extent of the law.

Hi StellaB

I have read articles like the one that you posted and i have seen the studies about how much money cruise passengers spend in ports when compared to other tourists. I think there was at least one re cruise passengers vs those coming in by airplane.

The studies leave me COLD and I mean COLD. There is so much more to life than how much I spend in port vs how much a tourist coming in by plane spends.

I am on a tight budget living only on social security. My one cruise a year. comes from savings that I put away before retiring . When that money is gone, so is my cruising days so i budget very carefully hoping for a few more cruises. When the cruise money is gone, then I will still be able to do some trips but strictly by air.

I am not. a shopper. I buy magnets and postcards for friends. I buy myself nothing.

I travel alone and do not go inside of restaurants for meals. Sometimes my excursions includes. a
meal but they are usually just so so. I eat street food when on excursions otherwise.

I travel to learn and grow and educate myself and meet the people but I also want them to meet me. I am an ambassador of the United States. Don't they want to meet me?

When I was in Italy last October, the tour guide held my hand as we walked down. a small but steep path because of my age and obvious challenges. And she quietly asked me "what's going on in. the United States because we are all watching and waiting." She asked me out of earshot. She could not ask me in front of the whole group

And when I was on another excursion, I reminded the tour guide of her sister in law whom she loved. She had me sit up front with her on the bus and hugged me goodby when the excursions was over. And that is among the reasons that I travel. .

Maybe the moments I have just described are more valuable than how much I bought . And yes, I tipped my tour guides and the drivers decently.

As to having 20 restaurants on board the ship, cruise guest often have to pay for the restaurants. You do not get every meal free. Some restaurants are complimentary but others cost and they can be expensive. Sometimes guests have trouble getting a dinner reservation

A lot of cruise passengers want a very good authentic meal when we port. You can get a really good mela on board a cruise ship but not alwys representing the country or city that we are visiting.

I am next sailing on a small ship and there will not be 20 restaurants. Some of the best ones will only be open for dinner. You will need a reservation and they might be expensive.

I have read that some places like New Zealand and others want a higher class of tourist. I forget how it is said. They only want tourists who are going to spend more money than the lower income tourists which left me cold.

Again this emphasis on how much money one tourist spends vs another tourist .. Leaves me cold.

If a city or even a country does not want cruise ships, then forbid them. Just say no cruise ships or as some are saying no large cruise ships.

I think there will be other ports that welcome large cruise ships or any cruise ships.

I am getting ready to go on my 10th cruise flying to Yokohama and sailing to Seoul. I am going to pre-cruise for four nights in Yokohama at an APA hotel which is a Japanese brand. I will be eating street food and sightseeing. Then I have a 14 day cruise but because the excursions are so expensive, I will have to stay in port for several of them. eating and paying admission to attractions And maybe doing limited shopping.

What about yourself? Have you been on any cruises. If so, Do you do a pre or post cruise? Are you a shopper? What abut restaurants? Are you a foodie?

And what is this thing about shopping because almost everyone has too much.

What about yourself? Have you been on any cruises. If so, Do you do a
pre or post cruise? Are you a shopper? What abut restaurants? Are you
a foodie?

Not that it matters, but I have been on one cruise - I hated it with a passion, and have never gone on another! (It's just not my jam, but each to their own.)

Yes, I'm a shopper to a moderate degree.

I am not a "foodie" and seeking out specific restaurants is not on my radar at all. I just find somewhere to eat when I'm hungry, and many times in Europe I make meals from what I buy at the markets. But whatever I do eat, of course - whether restaurant or market - is purchased locally.

But anyway, getting back to the article I shared with you: I certainly wasn't casting aspersions on you, personally, I'm just passing along something I read which explains some of the reasons these well traveled cities object to cruise ships. I don't have a dog in the show - I'm neither a cruiser nor a resident of an over touristed city - but I'm parsing this out based on what I'm hearing from both sides.

StellaB

And thank you for responding to what I wrote.

I believe that Amsterdam may have also done a study on how much cruise passengers spend vs those who come in by plane.

I would like to know who does the study. What is the sample? How many are sampled? What are they asking? How do they conduct the survey?

And if a cruise passenger is only in port 7 hours how do you compare it to a tourist who comes in by plane and might be there several days????

I am left with the feeling that the study is biased against the cruise ship industry. And is hoping to get cruise ships banned from such and such a port.

I am aware of problems with the cruise ship industry but if the problems are so bad then local residents must put pressure on their local governments to ban large cruise ships and maybe even all of them.

And it is happening. And cruise ships and cruise ship passengers are adapting.

but if the problems are so bad then local residents must put pressure on their local governments

This is about cruise ships, but that fits with all the protests currently taking place. In the end, that's exactly what the protests are doing - putting pressure on the city governments. The city council won't like to read in articels all over the world, that tourists are being attacked with water pistols in their city, and so they will react. It's more effective than pursuing the city council directly because they simply wouldn't listen.

And let me just say right away that I react extremely sensitively when it comes to physically 'threatening' other people in any way. Even if it's just water, that's completely unacceptable.